The Girl Next Door
by dizzy - in - the - izzy
Summary: Ziva is a foreign exchange student from Israel. Tony is the boy living next door. Their junior year of high school will change their lives forever. Tiva & McAbby & Jibbs & Kari. High School Setting.
1. Chapter 1: July & August

_If you read my one shot for Tiva, you know that I get ideas from random things. I got this idea, from my pillow. :)_

**Discalaimer: If I owned anything, I think everyones dreams would have come true by now.**

_P.S, It's in Tony's POV. And I had a little background written up for you guys, but this stupid thing keeps deleting it, so I'm sorry. You have any questions, review or PM me._

* * *

I shut off the lawn mower, whipping off my hand. I pulled the old thing over to the garage, putting it in its rightful place. I was about to close the garage door when my neighbors pulled up. They were back form the airport.

"DiNozzo, did you get the back?" My neighbor, Gibbs, said to me as he got out of the car. He never called me Tony, or even Anthony.

"Yes sir." I said, hugging his wife Jenny. She patted my back.

"You know that just his way of saying thanks." She said, and we both smiled. After 17 years of living next door to him, I knew his ways. I also knew to never call him by his first name. Abby, his adopted daughter, got out of the car. She pulled a suitcase out of the trunk. I waved at her.

"Grab a suit care, won't you Tony?" Jenny asked and I nodded. I grabbed the biggest, and the heaviest, and followed Jenny inside.

"Ziva sure has a lot of stuff." Abby said to anyone. I put the suitcase I was holding next to the one Abby had sat down, taking the water Jenny offered me. It was mid summer, and any physical work caused even the best athlete to sweat.

"I don't pack little, as you say." A voice, I expected the exchange student, said from behind me.

"It's pack light." I corrected as I turned. Standing in the doorway was....... well, to say the least, a very stunning girl. She had long, wavy, and wild hair, which was a dark brown. It reached below her shoulders. Her eyes were dark, but they sparkled anyway. She was wearing cargo pants, in 100 degree weather, and a white t-shirt. She smiled at me, and Gibbs pushed her into the kitchen. Jenny grabbed her hand and pulled her put to the bar.

"Ziva, this is Anthony DiNozzo, but we, minus Jethro, call him Tony. He lives next door." Jenny said, and I offered my hand. She shook it, her grip firm and strong.

"It's the house with the green picket fence." I said, and Gibbs laughed.

"I'll remember that." Ziva said. Abby wrapped her arms around Ziva from behind, her face bright. I knew Abby was excited to have a somewhat sister for a year. It was a dream come true for her.

"Ziva is going to be in our class, Tony." Abby said. Ziva nodded.

"It's called a junior, right?" She asked, and I nodded. I could already tell that her English was bad, and I guessed that she was making mental notes.

"I need to go tell McGee. Can I?" Abby asked Gibbs, and he nodded. McGee, or Timothy depending on who was speaking, was Abby's best friend. Ziva sighed in relief as Abby bounded out the garage door, Gibbs right behind her. Jenny smiled at Ziva, giving her shoulders a squeeze.

"She'll get easier to deal with after about a month. She's just over excited. Now let's get your bags up to your room." I grabbed the big heavy suitcase again, leading the way up to the bedroom Ziva was going to be occupying. I had helped Gibbs put the bed together and get the dresser up the stairs as punishment for spilling paint on his new car. I walked in, admiring my paint job. It had taken a whole day, but Jenny had helped with the trim and the door. The walls were a semi dark green, and the trim was a deep, deep purple. The dresser and bed were white, and the sheets blue and green. _I _would have slept in the room.

I placed the suit case on the floor next to the dresser. Only clothes could weigh that much. Ziva sat down on her bed, looking around.

"Do you like it?" I asked her, watching her run her fingers over the night stand Gibbs had built. She looked at me.

"It's beautiful." She said, admiring the lamp.

"Tony spent a whole day painting this room with Gibbs. It was his punishment." Jenny laughed, and I scowled. Ziva laughed at my face.

"What did you do?" She asked. I frowned.

"He spilled paint on my new car." Gibbs said from behind me. I cringed, waiting for the head slap. But he didn't. Instead he walked down to his room. Ziva opened the closet, walking in. I shut the door and Jenny laughed.

"I bet that closet is bigger than yours Tony." Jenny teased me. I gave her a look, and leaned against the wall. Gibbs slapped my head, and I groaned.

"What was that for?" I asked, turning to look at him. He had his usual look on his face.

"Because. I'm sure you've done something wrong today." Gibbs said, walking out the door and back downstairs. Ziva walked out of her closet, confused.

"Why did he do that?" She asked.

"It's his love tap." Jenny said. I scoffed.

"Love tap my-"

"Tony!" Jenny said, and Ziva laughed. Jenny looked at her watch, then at me.

"I think you can go home now Tony. I'll send your mom this week's money." She said, and I nodded. I waved goodbye, walking back down the stairs and out the garage. I jumped over my fence, crossing my grassy lawn. My phone went off, and I looked at the screen. I had a new text message.

From _Jeanne._

I groaned, hitting ignore. Ever since we had gone out for two months last year, she was obsessed with me. I had to practically hide from her. I shut my phone, putting it back in my pocket. I walked inside, to find my mom at the kitchen table. She smiled as I walked in.

"Hey Mom." I said, kissing her cheek. She smiled at me.

"Did you meet Ziva?" She asked me, patting the table next to her. I sat down.

"Yes. She's…. nice." I said. My mom laughed.

"I know you better than that Tony. What do you think of her, honestly?" My mom poked me in the arm. I blushed.

"She's…. beautiful mom. But, I think she has to learn a lot about America." I observed, and my mom nodded in agreement.

"She's Israeli, as in Israel. People are going to hear that and think she's a terrorist. It would suck for her to go to school and people shun her because they think she is a part of 9/11. I feel sorry for her. People are just so judge mental." My mom said, her voice sad. Her face got soft, and I waited.

"You'll be nice to her, won't you? Look out for her like you do Abby?" She asked me. I smiled. In the 9th grade, a junior had tried to shove Abby in a trash can because he thought she needed to be shoved…. in a trash can. Let's just say, he found himself in a tight spot. Having known Abby since I was two, I felt like it was the right thing to do.

"I will, I promise." I answered, and my mom kissed my cheek.

"That's my boy."

* * *

Every year, our neighborhood had an end of the summer barbeque. And it was almost always at Gibbs house. Not only was he one of the best cooks, he also was the only one who had a swimming pool and a play structure. Abby still loved playing on it. It was a potluck dinner, and everybody brought their special dish. There was always a canopy set up where the food was, and the deck was used for dancing. Chairs were set everywhere, where the older people sat and talked, sometimes until 2 in the morning. Me, Abby, McGee, and the Jones Twins were the oldest kids there. The rest of the kids were Junior High and younger. The Jones twins had developed this crush on me, the summer before 7th grade. It was the first time I went into the pool with out my shirt on, and they nearly jumped me. Every year after that, they asked me to dance, chased me around the play structure, trying to get me. I was smarter, of course, and always seemed to get smacked in the head by Gibbs and they stopped. I thanked God they went to a private school, while I went to public school. This year was going to be different with Ziva there. The Jones twins would have someone new to poke.

Gibbs, as always, enlisted me to help set up. I was to clean the pool, set up the canopy, and then make sure the drinks got outside. The pool didn't need much cleaning, but most of the moms wouldn't let their kids in if they saw just one speck of dirt.

It had been two weeks since Ziva had arrived, and her English was only improving slightly.

"I'm going to take a splash in the pool." She said, walking out of the house wrapped in a towel. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, and she had on goggles. I smiled at her.

"It's a dip, Zee-vah." I corrected, drawing out her name. She shrugged.

"So what?" She said, and I laughed.

"Finally got one right." Gibbs said. He had the canopy bag in his hand, and I groaned. I heard some laughs, and looked over at the deck. Abby and McGee were sitting at her computer, setting up the music and the lights in the pool.

"How come McGeek doesn't have to help with this?" I complained as I opened the bag. Gibbs smacked my head.

"Because DiNozzo. Abby and he are setting up something special, and Abby needs his help." Gibbs said, walking over to his grill. He was cleaning it off, a plate of hamburgers on the table next to it. I pulled out the canopy, groaning.

"What are they making?" Ziva asked, sitting on the edge of the pool. My mouth dropped when I saw her body. She was wearing a dark green two piece. The first thing I saw was her legs. They were toned, amazing. Her flat stomach was chiseled, just as dark as the rest of her skin. She smirked at me.

"Like my suit, Tony?" She teased me. I rolled my eyes, trying to focus on my job.

"They are going to program the lights in the pool to flash in time with the music. I didn't even know that was possible." Gibbs said a half smile on his face.

"That's because you are so technologically uneducated dad." Abby said, walking up behind Gibbs.

"You have my veggie patty, right dad?" She asked, looking at the plate. Gibbs nodded.

"Mom is getting it now, along with drinks." He said, patting her shoulder. She smiled, walking back over to sit with McGee. I walked under the canopy, pushing the middle up. The sides clicked into place. I extended the legs, and then grabbed the sides. I strapped them on. Gibbs looked over at me, and motioned for me to put that canopy next to the permanent on that covered the grill. I lifted it with one arm, maneuvering around the table. Gibbs grabbed the leg, placing it where he wanted. I staked it in, and looked at Gibbs.

"What next?" I asked, and Gibbs looked at the pool where Ziva was still doing her laps. She did 20 laps of three strokes every other night. I had just never seen her wearing a bikini.

"Well, when Ziva is done, clean out the pool. Or you can start it now, just don't get in her way." Gibbs offered, lighting the coals in the grill. I walked over to the pool shed, grabbing the net. Ziva came up at the end, done with her strokes. She climbed up the ladder, shaking off her arms. She knew I was watching, and she was teasing.

She wasn't so naïve.

I cleaned out the pool, finishing right as Jenny pulled up with the drink. Ziva walked out of the house, wearing a sun dress that Jenny had bought her. Abby got up, praising her. Her hair was free, all wavy and long. I smiled at her, noticing how amazing she looked. The dress was a light pink, and her skin glowed in it. I shook my head as I walked over to the car, grabbing the cooler full of drinks. Ziva walked up next to me, grabbing one for herself.

"No way Ziva. That's too heavy for you." I said, but she laughed.

"Are you…. doubting me Tony?" She said, getting the phrase right. She lifted the cooler, not straining one bit. I followed her over to the canopy, amazed at her strength. Gibbs smirked at my face.

"Did we mention that she happens to be trained?" Gibbs said, sipping his trademark coffee. I shook my head.

"You seem to have left that out." I said, looking at Ziva. She smirked. I smirked back.

"I can kill you with a spoon, 10 different ways." She said, walking away. Gibbs laughed his hand on his stomach.

"Don't worry Tony. She likes you. She only tells that to people she likes." Jenny said, smacking her husband on the arm. He laughed again, and I walked over to my house to get my mom and change.

__

I ducked behind Mr. Strade, hiding from the Jones twins again. Ziva laughed at me as she ate her burger, ketchup and mayonnaise dripping down her fingers. I laughed at her, taking a bite of my own burger.

"What? Is there something in my nose?" She said, and I laughed harder.

"It's 'is there something in my teeth', and no. But there is mayo and ketchup dripping down your fingers." I said, and she placed her burger down to whip off her hands on a napkin. McGee and Abby sat down on the floor of the play structure, food on their plates. I looked out the hole, searching the yard for the Jones twins. Apparently, they had been captured by my mom. I would have to thank her later.

"So, when does the…. special thing you guys set up start?" Ziva asked, and Abby giggled.

"After we finish eating, and Gibbs lets everyone get in the pool." McGee answered, drinking some soda. Ziva nodded, drinking her soda. She looked at the can, her face puckered.

"This is… tart." She said, and I laughed.

"You'll get used to it." I said. She nodded, a hopeful look on her face. She was learning as she went. We finished our dinner, and Abby and McGee went to get the lights started. I took Ziva's empty plate and trash to the garbage. She smiled at me, grabbing my hand. The music had started, and the lights were dimmed. Kids were moving off the deck. Abby and McGee had hung paper lanterns, filled with candles all around the deck. Ziva pulled me up the stairs, onto the dance floor. Some of the more mature kids were dancing with each other. I spun Ziva around, and she laughed. Abby and McGee were dancing in their seats from the computer, making sure everything went smoothly. I pulled Ziva to me, moving in time to the music. I placed my hand on the small of her back, taking her hand in mine.

"Anthony DiNozzo can dance?" She asked, mock surprise in her voice. I smiled.

"I know how to dance, yes." I spun around, her summer dress flowing around. She smiled up at me, her face lit up by the lanterns. I was stunned by her beauty. She leaned forward, resting her head on my shoulder. The music changed, and I smiled as I recognized the song. I smiled at Ziva, swaying to the beat.

_Well you done done me and you bet I felt it  
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted  
I fell right through the cracks  
and now I'm trying to get back  
Before the cool done run out  
I'll be giving it my bestest  
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention  
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some_

I smiled at Ziva, pulling her closer to me. I mouthed the words, and she blushed.

_I won't hesitate no more, no more  
It cannot wait, I'm yours_

She smiled, her cheeks deep red. I smiled, swaying in time to the music. Abby smiled at me from her computer, McGee's jacket around her shoulders. I smiled at her, turning my attention back to Ziva.

_Well open up your mind and see like me  
Open up your plans and damn you're free  
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love  
Listen to the music of the moment maybe sing with me  
A la peaceful melodies  
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love love_

_So I won't hesitate no more, no more  
It cannot wait I'm sure  
There's no need to complicate  
Our time is short  
This is our fate, I'm yours_

_Schooch on over closer dear  
And I will nibble your ear_

I felt Ziva blush as I whispered the lyrics in her ear. She looked up at me, a devious look on her face. She broke out of my brace, walking over to the pool.

_Well no no, well open up your mind and see like me  
Open up your plans and damn you're free  
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love  
Listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me  
A la one big family  
It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love love love_

She pulled off her summer dress, revealing her green bikini. I groaned as she walked over to the diving board, walking out onto the board. She sprang up, tucked into a ball, and dove into the pool. The kids screamed screams of delight, swimming around her as she came back up. I smirked, walking over to the pool. I took off my shirt, throwing it next to her dress. I got up on the diving board, springing into the air. I dove in next to her. I swam up next to her, running my hands up her legs as I did. When I came up next to her, she was blushing but smiling.

"Do you like to swim?" She asked, splashing water in my face. I splashed back, swimming away. She chased me, and everyone else started to swim around. I dove down to the bottom, and Ziva followed. I swam around, coming up for air. Gibbs was standing at the edge of the pool, watching us.

"Ziva, DiNozzo! Get out of the pool." He said. I looked at Ziva, who shrugged. We got out, grabbing our towels.

"What Gibbs?" I asked, and he smacked my head. Ziva laughed, but he smacked her head too.

"Wha, Gibbs?" She said. He stared at us.

"I need you two to take Old Charlie home." He said. I groaned, and Ziva looked at me confused.

"Who is Old Charlie?" She asked. I pointed to the old man in the chair near the barbeque. She nodded.

"Help him home." Gibbs said. I looked at Ziva. She grabbed her dress, and my shirt.

"Why us?" Ziva asked, slipping on her dress. It clung to her wet skin.

"Because I trust you two. Get moving!" He said, walking back to the grill. I looked at Ziva. She shrugged.

"Let's go."

* * *

_Abrupt ending, I know, but I had to end it there or it would have been like 12 pages long, not 7. Even though, I know people would have loved 12 pages of the fluff I have in mind for this._

_I'd feel better about my idea if I got some sort of review. I have chapter 2 going, possibly. Depends._

_Thanks for reading, Izzy:)_


	2. Chapter 2: August

_So, I finished this chapter, up loaded it and then realized that it had lost the work I had just finished. So I had to go rewrite it agian. You would have gotten this 15 minutes ago, if I hadn't had to have written some of it again. But I like this ending._

I'm very happy with the amount of emails I got from this story. I almost fell off my computer chair. I want to thank you guys, so very much. And now, for you, Chapter Two.

**Chapter Two: Shopping.  
****  
Disclaimer: I am going to own Season 1-5 on DVD pretty soon, oh yeah. So I kind of do own NCIS lawlz.**

* * *

Old Charlie was wasted, to say the least. His eyes were glazed over, his face beat red. It was no wonder Gibbs wanted us to take him home. I was practically dragging the old man across the front yard. He was also a loud drunk, and I could hear anything but his banter.

"I said to the man, do you know who I am? He says no! The nerve." He yelled, shifting his weight more on to Ziva. She kept him up though; as I was learning, she was very strong.

"The nerve, the nerve; and did you know that I tore up a nerve cluster my third tour. Son of a bitch hurt like for a month before I got treatment, yes it did." He kept on talking, looking down at Ziva. She grimaced, looking at me for help. I widened my eyes, shaking my head. I had no clue what to do.

"You're too pretty to be old Gibbs's daughter. And you're too nice. You this one's girlfriend?" He jerked his head towards me. She shook her head, her eyes squinted. The sun was shining in them.

"Ahh, don't lie now little doggy. Nothing to be ashamed of. He's a good looking guy, a little crazy, but alright." He then turned to me. "And she's hot." He whispered, and I had half the notion to kick his ass. I kept my mouth shut though. Ziva was trying hard to keep his hands _above_ her waist line, and he laughed. I felt my fist clench as her face reddened. He was grabbing her ass.

"Hey, Old Charlie." I said, pulling his attention away from Ziva. I looked up. Two houses to go.

"What kid? I'm entertaining the young lady." He snapped at me. His hand stopped moving below Ziva's waist.

"Why don't you leave Ziva alone and unlock your front door." I said, pulling him up his front porch steps. He glared at me, Ziva ducking out from under his arm. He fumbled for his key in his pocket. When he found it, he stuck it in the lock. He glared at me as he walked in the door, shooting Ziva a kinder look. She didn't return it. Her face was hard as stone.

"Thanks, thanks k-kids." He stuttered, laughing as he shut the door. I hoped down the stairs and caught up with Ziva, who was walking as fast as she could away from Old Charlie's house. I grabbed her hand, spinning her to face me.

"Slow down Ziva. You okay?" I asked, cautious. Her eyes were angry, and she looked disgusted. She took in a deep breath.

"Do you know how much restraint it took to **not** kill him with my thumb?" She asked. The breeze blew a couple pieces of stray hair across her face, and it made her even more intimidating.

"You can kill someone with your thumb?" I asked, trying to lighten her mood. It had the opposite effect. She pulled her hand from mine, storming back down the street. I ran up behind her, grabbing her hand again. This time, I didn't let tear her hand away.

"Calm down Ziva. I'm sorry about him. He can be….. a mean drunk." I said, trying to calm her down. Her eyes were still shooting death glares. I grimaced, and she smirked.

"Come on Ziva. Calm down. Just, think of puppies or something." I said, and she cocked an eyebrow at me. I shrugged.

"Well, just calm down. He's in his house now. He's harmless, besides the rude, drunken remarks. Come; let's go back to the party." I pulled her, but she dug her heels in.

"I don't want to go back." She said. I groaned.

"Please? We can go swimming again." I bargained, but she dug her heels in even more.

"Pwease Ziva? I'll be with you. And no one else is that much of a stupid drunk. Gibbs will ask them to leave if they give you any trouble. Which none of them will. They are probably all sitting talking." I reasoned, pulling her hand. She lost her balance, falling into me. I caught her, and she frowned.

"I'll come." She let in, allowing me to pull her back to Gibbs house. We walked back in the house, and out the back door out onto the back patio. Abby and McGee were sitting at the computer still, fighting over the mouse. I pulled Ziva over to them. Ziva sat down next to Abby, who smiled at her.

"Whoa, Ziva. What happened?" Abby asked, concern etched on her face. Abby led Ziva away, and I sat down next to McGee. He smiled at me.

"Hey Tony." He said, and I looked at him.

"McGeek." I said, and he groaned. I laughed at him, reaching up to touch the computer. He smacked my hand away.

"Don't touch it. Abby will kill you." He said. I sat back, watching everyone. Most of the older neighbors were sitting in the chairs across the yard, away from the pool and out of the barbeque smoke. The parents were standing either next to the pool, next to the food, or sitting on the grass near the play structure eating. The playground was where most of the parents plopped the kids under 3 at. Some of the kids that didn't want to swim and get sprayed with water guns were camped out in the play structure, helping the younger kids out. I looked at the pool, where mostly boys were splashing, playing a game of sharks and minos. A lot of the girls were watching, splashing their feet in the water. The dance floor had mostly soon to be 9th graders. The music was calming, slow and refreshing. I looked over to see Gibbs and Jenny laughing with my mom, and I couldn't help but feel warm inside.

"Where did Ziva and Abby go?" McGee asked, looking around. I didn't see them anywhere, and I assumed they were inside.

"Probably in the house on the couch." I answered, not looking. McGee looked, and then back at me.

"What happened?" McGee asked, and I looked at what he saw. Abby and Ziva were in the kitchen, Ziva's back to me. But I could tell, she was either crying or as angry at hell.

"When we were walking Old Charlie to his house, he kept grabbing her ass and making innuendos at us. She was really uncomfortable, and I got his attention off of her right as we walked up his steps. By then, she was fuming and almost ditched the party." I said, and McGee nodded.

"Well, in Israel, that isn't accepted. Men don't do that. I guess she was caught off guard and felt kind of violated, which I don't blame her for." McGee observed, looking at the computer screen. He typed some stuff, and the lights changed color schemes. I nodded in agreement, looking up as Abby and Ziva came back out. Abby walked down the stairs, over to Gibbs. I looked at Ziva's face, getting up.

"You okay?" I asked. She smiled, a good sign.

"Let's go swimming."

(McGee's POV)

I watched Tony and Ziva bound down the patio steps, stripping down to their bathing suits and jumping into the pool. Abby sat down next to me, her fingers moving over the key board. She was typing in a code, changing the light colors and the music. I watched, laughing as she did.

"Setting the mood?" I asked, and she laughed.

"McGee, you know me too well." She said, and it was my turn to laugh. I saw Tony and Ziva playing sharks and minos in the pool with the other kids, Ziva obviously winning. She came up to the surface, laughing as a kid tagged her. She stayed floating, and reached out to touch Tony as he swam by. He came to the surface, pointing at her.

"You can only tag me when I'm up for air." He said, going right back under. Ziva scowled, watching him swim away. She saw me watching and waved, reaching out and tagging a kid. The girl struggled to get to the edge and Ziva pulled her, keeping her head above the water. The girl smiled at Ziva, reaching out to tag someone else. I looked at Abby, who was smiling at me.

"What?" I asked as she laughed.

"Oh nothing McGee." She said, leaning against me. I could see the goose bumps on her arms and I wrapped my arms around her. Just sitting made the night even colder, and plus the slight breeze didn't help one bit. Abby snuggled close to me, bending her knees to her chest. We watched the party, the sun setting over the fence.

"McGee, Abby, you guys want desert?" Gibbs asked us as he walked up onto the patio, holding two plates of hot apple pie and ice cream. We sat up, each grabbing a plate and a fork he handed us. He sat down next to us, watching the computer screen. His eyes moved to the pool, where he watched the kids play. I could see him smiling, a funny look on his usually expressionless face.

"They're having a good time, aren't they?" Gibbs asked, looking at Tony and Ziva. Abby nodded, swallowing the food in her mouth.

"Yeah, they are."Abby practically whispered. I smiled. Ziva was laughing, the sound carrying throughout the yard. Tony was staring at her face, a smile playing on his lips. All the kids were swimming around them, and I could only guess that they were the sharks.

(Third Person)

The night ended for most of the kids about 45 minutes later, when the sugar high ended. Moms dragged their kids to their houses, saying good bye to each other. They weren't going to be apart for long, for most of them would call each other the second they got home, gossiping about what had happened. Abby and McGee turned off the lights in the pool, but kept the music playing around the patio. Tony helped Ziva out of the pool, wrapping a towel around her. They made their way to the patio, slipping on their dry clothes. Gibbs and Jenny were gathering up all the leftover food, bringing it inside to either eat or throw away. Tony's mom had gone home, too tired to do anything else.

"That was a flash." Ziva said, and Tony laughed.

"It was a blast." Ziva laughed too, and Abby joined in the chorus. Ziva took the jacket Gibbs handed her, and Tony slipped on his sweat shirt. Abby played some old time music, and Gibbs spun Jenny around. Abby laughed, watching her parents have a good time. McGee offered his hand to Ziva, who took it. Tony sat down, watching McGeek spin Ziva around. Abby watched Tony watch, smiling to herself.

"Did you have a good time Tony?" Abby asked, and Tony snapped out of whatever trance he was in.

"It was a good night. Minus the Old Charlie thing." Tony answered, looking at Ziva again. Ziva was laughing as she stepped on McGee's feet again. McGee didn't seem to mind, he kept moving. After a while, McGee gave up and sat down next to Abby. Ziva sat down on the ground, shrugging.

"I guess I have two right feet." She said, and Abby started to laugh.

"Ziva, its two left feet." Ziva laughed, letting her forehead rest on Tony's knee. Tony laughed, patting her head.(_It cut off right here. :/ and I had to download it off my e-mail again from my laptop.)_

"You'll get better at it." Tony said, reassuring her. Gibbs laughed, twirling Jenny around to the music. Abby reached over and changed the song. It was slower, more romantic. Gibbs pulled jenny closer, swaying in time to the music. The sun had just set, and the lanterns were just lighting the patio. Tony grabbed Ziva's hand, pulling her up to dance. He pulled her close, holding her head to his heart. She shut her eyes, snuggling closer to him. Abby couldn't help but smile, a warm feeling getting into her. McGee smiled too, holding Abby's hand.

They spent the rest of the night dancing, eating, playing games, and laughing at Ziva's English. Tony went home with a smile on his face, and a tickle in his heart.

* * *

(Tony's P.O.V)

My mom looked at me as I walked out of my room, finally waking up. I looked at the clock on the wall, shocked that is was 3 o'clock in the afternoon. My mom patted my back, smiling.

"Today's the day you go shopping with Abby and McGee." She said, and I cursed. She scowled at me, making sure I watched my language. I walked back into my room, getting dressed in a hurry. I knew that Abby would be only a little angry at me for not being ready to go three hours earlier. I ran out the door, grabbing my car keys as I went. My mom threw an apple at me, and I caught it. I walked over to Abby's, going in the garage. I walked into the kitchen to find Ziva, Abby and McGee sitting at the table, playing cards.

"TONY!! Finally. We've been waiting forever!!!" Abby said, getting up. She went into the study, obviously to tell Gibbs. I looked at Ziva.

"You're coming too?" I asked, surprised. She grimaced.

"Abby is making me come." She said, her voice sounding bitter. I laughed.

"Poor Zee-vah. Don't like shopping?" I teased her. She glared at me, death rays shooting at me. I laughed, looking at McGee. He hated this, but he liked spending time with Abby.

"Ready to go?" I yelled, and Ziva and McGee got up. Ziva got up, grabbing her wallet. I shook my head at her.

"I'll pay for you." I said. She looked up at me, confused.

"Save your money for other stuff, I'll pay for your school clothes and supplies." I said, and she smirked at me.

"Are you being a gentleman?" She asked, setting her wallet down and walking out the door. I knew I was going to pay for this later, literally. Abby walked back out into the kitchen, Gibbs behind her.

"Be good, and I don't want to hear any bad reports." He said, the last part for me more than anyone else. I laughed, and he smacked my head.

"I'm serious DiNozzo. Anything over bad driving, and I'll shoot you." He said. I took him seriously.

--

I pulled up to the mall, parking near the back entrance. Ziva got out, her sunglasses over her eyes. I knew she was nervous; not as excited as everybody else was. Abby and McGee walked ahead of us, splitting off up the stairs. Ziva hung behind me, hesitant.

"Come on Ziva. It's not going to be that bad. I'm here." I said, grabbing her hand. I pulled her ahead, walking up to the directory. I looked at the stores, while Ziva tried to understand what was in front of her.

"We need to get you out of those cargo pants." I said, looking at the jean shops. She looked at me.

"You don't like my cargo pants?" She asked in disbelief. I shook my head.

"They're alright, but I don't think people at school will be so accepting if you wear them." I said, and she scoffed.

"Am I supposed to care what they think?" She asked. I shrugged.

"You should. They can make your life hell." I answered, pulling her to the escalator. She followed, groaning. I smiled at her.

"Don't worry. It is **not** going to be that bad." I said. She didn't believe me, but she followed me to the Levi store. We walked in, and a sales lady greeted us.

"Hi. How can I help you?" She asked, her voice over cheery. I nodded, and looked at Ziva.

"She needs like, 10 pairs of jeans." I said. The sales lady nodded, looking at Ziva.

"What size are you?" She asked Ziva. Ziva shrugged.

"A 5, I think." Ziva guessed. I looked around, planning on getting some jeans myself.

"I'll bet you're a 5 long. You have long legs." She said, leading Ziva over to the women's section. I followed, excited to see how Ziva did.

"Do you like darker color or lighter colors?" Ziva contemplated.

"Both." She said. The sales lady grabbed some pants, handing them to Ziva. Ziva looked at me, and I pointed to the changing rooms. She nodded, disappearing. I sat outside the changing room, waiting to help Ziva find the right jeans. I heard her groan, and stopped myself from laughing. She opened the door, and peeked out.

"I'm not sure about this." She said, her face slightly vulnerable. I felt my heart ache for her. She was feeling nervous about buying jeans, but she would threaten to kill me with her thumb. She walked out, and I smiled. She was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, that rested right below her hips and they went down to the floor. She shifted her weight, and I looked at her eyes. She looked like she wanted to throw up. I stood up, hugging her close.

"What's wrong Ziva?" I asked her. Her eyes shut.

"I…. it's just all new to me. I'm… I'm not used to this." She said, pulling at the waist of her pants. I shook my head,

"Don't worry. It's not that hard, or different. It's just shopping for school." I reassured her. She shook her head.

"It's not the same. It isn't, one bit. I wouldn't be doing this in Israel. I wouldn't be with you, or any other guy. I wouldn't be jean shopping, and they wouldn't be this low." She complained. I smiled.

"Don't be a pessimist. Think of this as a life experience you can tell your kids some day." I answered and pushed her back into the changing room.

"What did you think of those jeans Tony?" She asked after a second, and I could hear the mock in her tone.

"I liked those." I said, and I could hear her laugh. I sat back down, and helped Ziva find 13 pairs of jeans she liked. I then found my favorite type of jeans, and bought a couple pairs. We made our way out of the store, looking around. I knew where I wanted to go to get my favorite shirts, but I had no clue what kind of shirts Ziva wanted. I saw Abby and sighed, thanking god.

"Abby!" I said, and she looked at me. Smiling, she pulled McGee as she jogged over to us.

"How's it going Ziva?" Abby asked Ziva. Ziva shrugged.

"I got 13 pairs of jeans." She said, smiling at me. I smiled back, looking at her two bags. Abby and Ziva started talking, and then they started to walk away. I grabbed Ziva's hand.

"Wait, how are you going to pay?"I asked, and Abby answered.

"I've got her." She said, pulling her back. I turned to McGee, smirking.

"So, McGeek. What to do, what to do." I said, sneering. McGee groaned.

"Let's just go get some clothes Tony." McGee said. I laughed, moving towards my favorite shirt shop. McGee followed, looking around. He bought a couple shirts, while I got about 20. I liked to have a variety.

We met up with Abby and Ziva at Baskin Robbins. When we got there, Ziva was trying to decide what kind of ice cream to get. She was looking down at the flavors, the guy behind the counter checking her out. I almost laughed when she looked up. She was oblivious.

"I think just get vanilla." She said. I laughed.

"Not going to go out on a limb there Ziva, get something a little more exotic?" I teased. She rolled her eyes, taking the cone from the guy. I ordered my favorite, Oreo's and Cream, and sat down next to Abby.

"So, did you find everything?" I asked. Ziva and Abby nodded, laughing at some unheard joke. I looked at McGee, who shrugged. I ate my ice cream, listening to Abby and Ziva laugh at stuff they had done. I looked at my watch, noticing that it was nearly 7, and we had to get home.

"I think it's time we leave guys." I said, grabbing my bags. Abby and Ziva grabbed their numerous bags, walking out of the store. McGee and I followed, opening the trunk. We placed out bags in, and I got in the driver side. Ziva was in the front seat again, her seat belt already on. Her back was to the window, and she was looking at me. I smirked at her, pulling out the parking lot faster than I usually would have. She turned fast in her seat, facing forward again. I laughed as she sent glares my way. I turned the radio on, searching through stations. Ziva watched, taking mental notes again. I found a good song and turned it up, maneuvering my way across town. Ziva opened her window, turning her body again.

"Comfortable over there?" I questioned. She nodded, a smirk on her face. Her hair flew out the window, her neck arched back. I had to pull my eyes away, paying attention to the road. Abby laughed at me, lightly smacking my cheek. Ziva moved her arms to rest on the window frame, and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. I moaned at the laughing coming from the back seat. Ziva kept smirking, playing with her hair. I made the corner back onto our street, happy to have a reason to slow down. Ziva sat back in her seat, lightly punching my arm. I parked out front of Gibb's house, and everyone piled out. I stood up, opening the trunk. I stared at the mass of bags, all different colors. I found a Levi bag, and looked in it.

"Ziva, here is one of you jean bags…… and there is the other." I said, handing her the bags. She smirked at me, and I coughed. Gibbs walked over to us, and coughed as well.

"What did you guys do, rob the place?" He asked as I handed Abby some of her Hot Topic bags. She gave Gibbs one of the heavier ones and they disappeared into the house. I handed McGee his and shut the trunk. Ziva walked out the front door and sat down on the grass. I walked up the lawn, joining her.

"Did you have fun today?" I asked her. She nodded.

"I had fun with Abby." She said. I stuck out my bottom lip, and widened my eyes. I leaned against her, and she lost her balance. She fell, laughing at me.

"What, no 'Thank you Tony for buying me a million pairs of jeans?" I said, and she smirked.

"Nope." She said, and I gasped.

"In America, that is considered rude." I said. Ziva shrugged. I poked her, and she poked me back. I leaned against her, causing her to fall over. She pushed me back onto the ground, holding me down. I flipped her over, smirking. She smirked back and rolled me over, and we rolled down the grass a little. I could hear laughter coming from Abby and Jenny, and was suddenly on my back. I looked up at Ziva. She was smiling wide. She locked her legs around my waist, pinning my wrists above my head. I struggled with her hands, trying to free my hands. I didn't have any luck, so I moved my waist. She just tightened her grip.

"Is Tony getting beat up by a girl?" Gibbs asked, no surprise coating his voice. I looked up at him, the world upside down.

"I'm not. I just don't want to hurt her." I looked back up at Ziva as she laughed. She bent down, her lips next to my ear.

"I don't mind getting dirty Tony. And I doubt you can hurt me." She said. I smirked, rolling over and switching my hands. I pinned her hands down, locking my legs around her waist. She bucked her hips, and I suppressed a moan that threatened to pass through my lips. She was smirking, so I tightened the grip my legs had. I tried to keep my mind out of the gutter as she grunted, trying to free my grip. She looked up at me again, sighing. She was giving up.

"Ha, I win." I said, loosening my grip only a little. She struggled again, and I let go. I stood up, offering my hand. She grabbed it and pulled me back down onto the ground. Standing up, she smirked at me.

"No, I win." She said, and everyone laughed. She stopped, and crouched down next to me.

"And, thank you Tony. For the jeans and all."

* * *

_I added the last part in just now haha. I loved this chapter. I've decided to write about each month. No skipping around. So I'm going to be doing a whole school year in this story. Each chapter willl be one part of a month, or parts of two months. I'm getting excited about this. Review, and Im sorry if you get an weird Review Reply back. My best friend is coming over today, to make the best of out Spring Break haha._

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	3. Chapter 3: August

_I'm pleased where this story is heading. I got this ah-mazing idea from a reviewer, and I'm going to go with it. It will be later though, because right now I'm focusing on them starting school, blehh. I hate school. Anywho, spring break is amazing. Just letting you know._

**Disclaimer: I got a purple scarf at Wet Seal in SanFran yesterday.(:**

Chapter Three: Tickling and Sunset

* * *

  
I got up on the first day of school, groaning. I was not ready to go back to school. I was not ready for it, but as I got dressed, I thought about how this year was going to be different than the rest. Ziva was going to be there, add something different to it. I didn't even know we had an exchange program at my school until Gibbs had told me that he was going to housing one. I laughed to myself, remembering how long ago that was. I looked through my closet, trying to find my favorite pair of jeans. I grabbed them, pushing my feet through the material. I grabbed my favorite green shirt, pulling it over my head. Grabbing my bag, I walked down the stairs to the kitchen. It was 7 o'clock, but I was heading over to Gibbs's place to help Ziva. I poured myself a bowl of cereal, eating it slowly. I crunched down on the cereal, looking at my schedule. I didn't like it. Having Algebra II, first thing in the morning, was going to kill me. After that was Chemistry, and I groaned. I didn't like science much, but Biology had been a blast for me. Chemistry wasn't going to be though. I jumped when someone placed their hands on my shoulders.

"Calm down Tony, it's just me." My mom said, laughing to herself as she sat down. She looked at me, watching my face as I ate my cereal.

"Nervous?" She asked, and I shook my head.

"Me, nervous? Never." I said. She laughed, patting my hand.

"Well, get next door and help Ziva get ready for today." She said, pushing me out the door. I grabbed my keys, tripping over my own feet as I walked up to Gibb's house. He opened the door, looking at me.

"Morning, Gibbs." I said. He nodded at me, letting me inside. I walked into the kitchen to find Abby, eating. McGee was going over his binder, checking off his items on a mental checklist. Ziva was nowhere in sight. Probably in the shower, taking her sweet time to get ready like all girls seemed to do. Jenny ruffled my hair as she passed, and I smiled. Abby looked up at the clock, mumbling to herself

"Crap, Timmy we have to go!" She said, grabbing his hand and pulling him with her. McGee grabbed his stuff, following Abby out the door.

"See you at school!" I yelled after them.

"See you Tony!" Abby yelled back.

"Ziva, you ready or what?" Gibbs yelled, and I heard her yell back at him. Jenny glared at her husband.

"Give her time. She is nervous." Jenny said to her husband. Gibbs just shrugged.

"She has 10 minutes before she has to leave. She needs to get down here to eat." Gibbs said, walking up the stairs. He stopped, backing up. He was smiling.

"You look good Ziva." He said, and I waited for her to come around the corner. I saw her hand first, holding the frame of the wall. She seemed hesitant.

"Come on out Ziva." I said, and she poked her head around the corner. I smiled as I saw her hair, straight and perfect, framing her face. She smiled at me, walking down the last two steps. I smiled even wider.

She was wearing the pair of jeans, the first pair that she had tried on. The dark blue looked great against her skin, and her plain black t-shirt ended about an inch above her waist. I could see a thin line of skin, flat and toned. She was wearing the pair of Converse Abby had bought her. She looked amazing.

"Ready?" I asked, catching my breath again. She nodded, grabbing her binder and an apple. She hugged Jenny, and nodded to Gibbs as she followed me out the door to my Mustang. She got in fast, placing her hands under her legs. I noticed, and turned towards her.

"You okay?" He asked. She nodded.

"Let's go."

I drove into the student parking lot, waving at some of my friends. Ziva was looking around, her face showing her nervousness. I reached over and placed my hand on her knee.

"You're going to be alright." I said, and she nodded.

"I know, it's just so big." She said, referring to the size of my high school. I nodded, parking the car.

"You forget how big it is after a while." I answered, grabbing her binder. I grabbed my schedule out of my back pocket, comparing it to hers. I smiled when I saw that we had 5 classes together. Our electives were different.

"Ziva, you know how I know you are going to be alright?" I asked her. She shook her head. "Because I'm going to be with you all day." I said. She looked at the schedules', and a smile spread on her face. She hugged me.

"Good." She looked at me, her eyes sparkling. "Let's go, yes?" I nodded, getting out. The ten minute bell rang, and I grabbed her arm. I knew our lockers would be near each other. Our lockers were assigned by last name. DiNozzo, David. Close.

I helped her to open her locker, throwing open mine and putting my jacket inside. She waited for me, and followed me to our Algebra II class. As we walked inside, I greeted the teacher. He shook my hand, and turned to the class mingling in front of him.

"Everyone, I'd like you to seat yourself in alphabetical order, by last name." He yelled, sitting down at his desk. I turned to Gregory Edwards, smiling at him.

"Looks like I'm sitting with you again man." I said, and he laughed. We sat down at the first table, and I pulled Ziva with me. She sat, looking at the other kids. When everyone was sitting, the teacher stood up.

"Okay, that was faster than I expected. My name is Mr. Keaton, but you can all call me James. I'll be your Algebra Two teacher this year. Now, I'm sorry if I butcher your names, cut me some slack guys." He grabbed the attendance sheet. Looking at my table, he started.

"Jessica Barther, Gregory Edwards?" He said to them, and they nodded. "Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva Dae-vid?" He asked.

"It's Dah-veed." Ziva corrected him. He nodded, writing that down on his paper. When he turned to the group behind us, Gregory leaned across the table.

"You're one of the exchange students, right?" He asked, and Ziva nodded. I was playing with my binder, trying to fix one of the papers.

"Where are you from?" He asked. Ziva stiffened, I could see it.

"Israel." She answered, her accent hiding her fear. Greg may not have been able to hear it, but it was crystal clear to me.

"Isn't Israel where the terrorists are from?" Micheal Jones asked from the other side of the room. A couple other kids agreed, and they all looked at Ziva. I looked up, and was disgusted by how many of the boys were checking her out.

"That's a common misconception." Mr. Keaton said as he walked back to the front of the classroom. He smiled at Ziva.

"Yes, it is." She agreed, playing with her shirt. I could see she was embarrassed, but I wasn't able to ask her anything. Mr. Keaton was talking again.

We walked out of his class 30 minutes later, shoving papers into our binder. Ziva was silent, like she had been the whole class. I pulled her down the hall way and out towards the science wing for Chemistry. We walked in, finding kids mingling again. The teacher was standing in front of the class, holding up his class list.

"Everyone calm down please. Be quiet." He said, and everyone was quiet. I looked at the old man, squeezing Ziva's hand. She smiled, looking at the teacher.

"I'm Mr. Mallard, but everyone calls me Ducky. I'll be your Chemistry teacher this year." He walked to the first desk, next to the door. "I'd like you to sit in alphabetical order, backwards." He said, and Leon Williams groaned. He always sat in the back. Ducky walked up behind his desk, watching us move. I moved towards the back of the class. I smiled at Micheal Billy. He was in the last desk, and Ziva sat in front of him, her back against the cabinets. I sat down in front of her, watching. She was looking around the class, her mouth slightly open.

"What's wrong Ziva?" I asked. She looked at me.

"It's just… a lot." She said, and I squeezed her arm. Playfully, she pushed my hand away, making me turn around. I heard Micheal Billy talking, louder than necessary. He was already stoned.

"Hey, what's your name babe?" He asked Ziva. I turned to see her looking at him, her nose crinkled. She pushed his hand away.

"Hey, no hard feelings. I just want to know your name." He said again, and Ziva turned to him.

"Ziva, Ziva's my name."She turned back around to me. She smiled, and I turned back in my seat.

"Anthony DiNozzo?" Ducky said, and I looked up.

"Here." I answered, lifting my hand. He smiled at me, looking at Ziva.

"Ziva David?" He looked at her.

"It's Dah-veed." She corrected again, and Ducky smiled at her. He looked at Micheal, sighing.

"Good to see your back Micheal." Ducky said, and some people laughed. He walked back up to the front of the class, and started talking. It was the same as first period, get these papers signed, bring them back, and do a class activity. At the end of the thirty minutes, we all left. It was break, and everyone was looking for their friends. I took Ziva by the arm, keeping her next to me. I walked out into the court yard, seeing Abby and McGee with their friends. I walked over to them, and Abby jumped up to hug Ziva.

"Ziva, Ziva, Ziva!" She said, spinning her around. Ziva laughed, hugging her back.

"Hello Abby." She said, and Abby looked at her.

"How is your first say in the establishment going so far?" Abby joked. I laughed, sitting down next to McGee. He looked at me.

"Why are you over here, not with your friends?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I'm helping Ziva out. We have 5 of our classes together." I said. McGee smiled, looking down at his binder. He was fixing it again. I slapped his hand away.

"Stop messing with it McGoober. It's fine." I said, and he scowled at me. He pulled his binder into his lap. I pulled my water bottle out of my bag, taking a swig. Abby grabbed it, taking a drink herself.

"Thanks Tony." She said as she pushed Ziva down on the chair next to mine. She took my water bottle, drinking some. I sighed, waiting for her to give it back. She capped it and held it in her hand.

"Water bottle?" I asked, holding out my hand. She smirked at me.

"You mean this?" She held up the empty bottle. I groaned. She laughed.

"Tony!" I turned to see my best friend, Frank, walking towards me. I got up, shaking his hand.

"Dude, what's up? I haven't seen you since your birthday." He said to me. I rolled my eyes.

"Remember how I spilled paint on Gibbs' car? Well, I got grounded and had to work for him all summer. I still am working for him." I said, and Frank nodded.

"Well, that sucks. But it was a new car." He joked with me, pushing my shoulder. I laughed, pushing him back. He looked at the table, and I followed his eyes. Ziva was smiling at us.

"Well, you must be Ziva." Frank said, holding out his hand. Ziva shook it. "I'm Frank. I've known Tony since we were 5." I laughed.

"Yeah, when you pushed me into a mud puddle, and I pushed you into poison ivy and we got detention." We both laughed, and Ziva laughed too. The bell rang again, and Ziva stood up. I was going to Auto Shop, and she was going to Photography. It was just luck that the shop was right next to the art center. I walked her to the photography class room, pushing her in the door.

"Meet me here." I said, walking down the hall and out the door. I walked into Auto right on time. I sat down, not paying attention. I was worried about Ziva. I knew that people would do the same thing that had happened in Algebra. I watched the clock, waiting for the bell to ring. It dragged by, the time. I took the papers we had to sign, and our first homework. When the bell rang, I followed everyone out the door, going down to Ziva's class. She walked out, her head down. I walked up to her, wrapping my arm around her waist. I pulled her down the hallway, and out towards P.E.

"What happened?" I asked her. She shook her head, her mouth shut. She didn't say anything, and I left it at that. She was silent the rest of the day, through P.E, History, and English. After English, we walked to my car. She was playing with her shirt, not paying attention. She walked right past my car.

"Ziva, it's over here." I said, and she smiled.

"I knew that." She said, getting in. I pulled out of the parking lot, waving to Frank as I went. Ziva was watching me; I could see her out of the corner of my eyes.

"Why do people think I'm a terrorist?" She asked, and I looked at her. Her eyes were trained on my face, her fingers holding the hem of her shirt. I reached over and took one of her hands.

"Because they are stupid. Don't listen to them. American kids don't know crap, trust me." I said, pulling into a 7/11. I parked the car, getting out. Ziva followed me into the store.

"What are you doing?" She asked. I pointed to the drinks.

"I need some water." I said, and she smirked at me. I grabbed a water, and she grabbed an Arizona Green Tea. I shrugged, walking up to the counter. The guy behind the counter was checking out Ziva, just like every other guy had done all day. I paid for our drinks, and then led her out the door. I was getting grossed out by how much guys seemed to try to get her attention. Ziva seemed to pay no attention, and I just wish she would flip one of them over with her crazy ninja skills that she seemed unwilling to show me. As we walked back to the car, I saw the guy give me a look. I smiled in satisfaction.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I grabbed my slippers, pulling them onto my feet. I had on the pajamas Abby had bought me; long, and blue with stripes. I wasn't wearing the shirt; instead I was wearing the black one I had been wearing all day.

"You guys ready to go over to Tony's?" Jenny asked, walking into my room. She smiled at me as I pulled on my knit hat, nodding.

"I'm so glad you're going. This has been a thing they do every year since they were in 2nd grade. Tony's mom was on a business trip, so he stayed at our house after the first day of school. They planned it every year after that. You'll have fun. They mostly go through each other's binders and put pictures in them." Jenny said to me, patting my back. I smiled at her.

"Where are we going to sleep?" I asked. She grabbed my pillow, handing it to me.

"Tony has an air mattress that you and Abby will share. He always sleeps on the couch next to the air mattress in the living room." She led me down the stairs, where Abby was waiting. She was happy to see me, grabbing my hand.

"You'll love it Ziva. It's so much fun. And Tony's cooking is the best." She said. I doubted the last part, but followed her as she pulled me into the garage. She opened the refrigerator, pulling out three colored bottles. On the front was a flower, and the word Izze below it.

"These are our favorite fruit drinks." She said to me, handing me one. I looked at the flavor, and smiled. Pomegranate sounded good. I followed Abby out the door, and jumped the fence with her. We walked into Tony's house, finding him sitting on the air mattress. He looked at us, and smiled.

"Ahh, Izze's." He grabbed the one Abby handed him and patted the air mattress. Abby plopped down, and I sat. The TV was on, but it was muted. Abby grabbed mine and Tony's binders, and smiled deviously.

"I have some stuff for you guys to put on here." She said, and I looked at Tony. He shrugged, and Abby squealed. She pulled out an envelope, and I could see that inside were photos. Tony moved up next to me, looking over my shoulder at our binders. His breath tickled my ear, and I reached up to scratch it. I accidently poked his eye and he gasped. I turned around, trying hard not to laugh.

"I'm sorry Tony." I said, laughter reaching my lips. He laughed a little, and I held my stomach. He was holding his eye, glaring at me.

"You meant to do that." He said. I shook my head.

"I…. didn't." I said, laughing harder. He shrugged, looking up at Abby.

"What are you doing with a camera?" He asked, and I looked up. Abby was holding a digital camera, her face twisted in laughter.

"I brought it last year." She said, and Tony nodded.

"Yeah, but last year we were taking pictures of McDork while he slept. What are you doing with it this year?" He asked. I stood up, trying to get it from her. She pulled it behind her back, backing away from me.

"Let me see Abby." I said, but she shook her head. I walked forward, holding out my hand. Abby giggled and turned to run. I followed her, laughing. Abby ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I took them three at a time, catching up with her at the top. She giggled as she ran into what I guessed was Tony's moms room, leading me through the bathroom and out onto the balcony. She ran back in the guest bedroom, going back out into the hall way. I could hear Tony's laughter as we ran past him, out the kitchen door to the back yard. Abby was huffing and puffing, but I could keep going. She put her hands on her knees, laughing. I laughed along, watching the camera in her hand. She pulled it behind her back again, looking at me.

"You can't look yet." She said, and I tilted my head.

"I don't want you to see them, just yet." She said again, and I stuck my bottom lip out.

"Please Abby?" I said. She shook her head.

"No Ziva. I promise you will see them, but not yet." She said. I cocked my eyebrow.

"I promise Ziva. I'll let you see, but later." I nodded, walking back into the house. Tony was laughing still, and laughed more at me not holding the camera.

"I'll get it later." I said, and Tony laughed.

"While she's asleep?" Tony asked me, and I smirked. He laughed again, grabbing my hand and pulling me down onto the air mattress. I screamed, falling onto him. He had his arms around my waist, and I struggled to get loose. He laughed as I flipped over, facing him.

"Let me go Tony." I said, laughing as he tickled my sides. He rolled me over, tickling me even more. I laughed my stomach hurting. Abby was laughing at us, sitting down on the air mattress. I grabbed Tony's shirt, flipping him over again. He still had his hands on my waist, holding me. I looked down at him, smirking. He was about to move when I grabbed his hands and moved them above his head. I bent down, my lips next to his ear.

"Getting frisky, Tony?" I said, moving my hips to get more comfortable. He groaned, and I smirked at him.

"It seems we are." I let go of his hands, and rolled off of him. Abby was watching, her eyes on me. I shrugged a little, and she shrugged too. Tony reached over, his hand on my stomach.

"A little." He said, tickling me again. I broke from his grasp, sitting up. He looked at me, laughing.

"Someone hates being tickled." He teased me, and I crawled towards him. I knew the view he was getting.

"I'm not in the mood." I said, grabbing my Izze from behind him. He was not breathing, his eyes moving from my face, to my body. I smiled at him as I sat back down on the bed, next to Abby. Abby was laughing into her hands, her face beet red.

"Tony, you should see your face." Abby said. I laughed as he rolled over, moaning into his pillow. I looked at Abby as she got up and walked into the kitchen. She came back with a laptop, opening it. Tony sat up, looking at Abby.

"What are you doing with my laptop?" Tony asked. Abby looked at him.

"I'm printing some pictures." She said, signing into Tony's account. I watched as it loaded, the background plain green. Abby plugged the camera into the computer, waiting for it to load. She tapped her fingers, moving her finger over the mouse pad as she clicked on what she wanted to do. She looked over at me, and turned the computer.

"You can't see yet." She said, getting up and walking into the kitchen. I sighed, looking at Tony. He was looking at me, his eyes on my stomach.

"Don't even think about it." I warned him, and he smirked. I got up, moving away from him. He followed, and I jumped up the stairs. I had no clue where I was going, but I wasn't going to get tickled. I laughed as I ran into his mom room, jumping over the bed. He stood on the other side, looking at me.

_(Tony's POV)_

I looked at Ziva, her hair all a mess, her face flushed from running. She was breathing hard, her hands placed on the bed. I wanted to tackle her and kiss her she was so beautiful. I jumped up on the bed, and she ran back out the door. I chased her down the stairs, and out the front door. She was on the grass, standing there with one hand on her hip. I chased her around back, and then back inside the kitchen door. Abby was laughing at us, the camera in her hand. Ziva raced up the stairs, and into my room. I smiled, knowing there was no way out of there.

I walked in, looking around. I didn't see her. I moved to the closet, and opened it. Just clothes, piles and piles of them. I turned around, looking around. I walked into my bathroom, and something got me from behind. I laughed as two hands covered my eyes, holding onto my head tight. I reached behind me, finding her hips. I bent forward so she her feet were off the floor then grabbed her legs. She laughed as I hoisted her up on my back, giving her a piggy back ride. I turned, thinking about where I was standing. I moved for the door, and was amazed when I felt the different carpet in the hall. I turned, moving towards the stairs. Ziva squirmed, but I held onto her. I found the first stair, and made my way down the stair case. Abby was at the bottom, I could hear her laughter.

"Can you let me see now?" I asked, and suddenly the hands were gone. Her arms wrapped around my neck and I walked through the kitchen to the back yard. The sun was low in the sky, the light casting beautiful shadows. Ziva rested her head on her arm, her cheek up against mine.

"How was your first day of school?" She asked me, catching me off guard. I looked at her. Her eyes were gazing up at the sky.

"It was good. Tomorrow will be easier, because we will be only going to three classes." I said, and she nodded. I turned back to the house, to see Abby standing on the porch with the camera.

"It's a beautiful sunset, isn't it?" She asked taking a picture of the sky. Ziva nodded in agreement.

"It really is." She whispered in my ear, her breath warm. I moved back inside, bending over to let Ziva fall off my back onto the bed. She didn't let go of my shoulders, and I ended up falling on her. She let out an "oof", and I immediately got up. She was smiling.

"That was fun." She said. I nodded, lying next to her. Abby walked in, smiling at us. She held her camera up, and took a photo. I scowled at her.

"Is that what you are going to do all night, take pictures of us?" I asked. Ziva looked away, covering her face. Abby just smiled.

"You'll see."

* * *

_Oh, the non joys of being tickled. The next chapter will have some......... interesting stuff in it, including some more cute Tiva moments that my brain is making by the second. Oh, and I have some answers to questions._

1. Kate will be in here, but that is going to be later on. But she will be in here.  
2. I know that 13 pairs of jeans are a lot, but thats the number i pulled out a hat. Yeah, I let a hat decide.

And Abby's camera is a really nice one, like a Nixon D60. A really nice one. Remember that in the next chapter.

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	4. Chapter 4: August

_I am really really having fun with this, and I'm sorry if they seem OOC. Shoot me, if you can find me. ;) Anywho, I should probably say that I spent a good amount of time thinking about who to have in this story, i.e Kate, Ari, Palmer... you know. I've decided that Kate will be, but Idk about Ari. Even though writing him would be COOL! Anyway, I'm done now. Oh, and I know that the titles for this are like August and July, but I'm going to call the chapter whateever month it happens in, and then the subtitle will be under the disclaimer. Just clarifying. :)))_

**Disclaimer: I decided to do one of these this time, just to say that I do not own Taylor Swift or her song "Fearless" or Sixpence None the Richer. Or NCIS, but you knew that.**

Chapter Four: Gifts.

* * *

I watched as Ziva and Abby ate their burgers, Abby eating a veggie burger. Ziva had juice running down her hand, and it was nearing her arm. I grabbed her napkin and caught the trail of juice before it got all the way down her arm. She smiled at me, placing her burger down. I watched as she got up and whipped off her arm. Abby reached for the stereo remote, turning up the song. It was light, and romantic. Ziva was swaying slightly, her eyes shut. She moved slowly back to the table, swaying back and forth to the music. I smiled, standing up. I grabbed her hand, pulling her into the living room. She followed, letting me pull her into my arms to dance. I was surprised that Abby had turned on a country station.

_There's somethin' 'bout the way the street looks when it's just rained  
There's a glow off the pavement, you walk me to the car  
And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there  
In the middle of the parking lot, yeah_

I swung Ziva around, her hair going out in a fan. Abby smiled at me, holding her camera in her hand. I scowled at her, and she took a picture.

_We're drivin' down the road, I wonder if you know  
I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up now  
But you're just so cool, run your hands through your hair  
Absent-mindedly makin' me want you_

Ziva opened her eyes, looking up at me. I smiled, spinning her around. She laughed lightly, the sound filling the living room. I gently led her out the door, into the back yard. The speakers on the porch were playing just loud enough to hear.

_And I don't know how it gets better than this  
You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless  
And I don't know why but with you I dance  
In a storm in my best dress, fearless_I pulled her even closer, her feet practically on mine. She stepped up on my feet; her eyes now level with mine.

"This is a pretty song." She said, her breath tickling my nose. It smelled like the hamburger she had just eaten. I nodded, keeping her balanced on my feet. I stopped moving, wrapping my arms around her waist. She wrapped her arms around my neck, holding herself up.

"I know something prettier, possibly higher than beautiful." I whispered back. She smiled, hugging me. I held onto her, making sure she didn't fall. Her hair blew in the wind, covering my face. I could smell her conditioner. It was so sweet, so amazing. I moved in a circle, humming to the music. The song ended, and the stereo went off.

"You're silly, Tony." She whispered back, loosening her grip on my neck. I lifted her off my feet, placing her flat on the ground. She looked at the porch, then back up at me.

"I don't think Abby has put down her camera yet." I looked over, and Abby waved at me. She disappeared into my house, and I cocked my head towards her.

"I say, we steal the camera from her." I smirked, and Ziva rolled her tongue. She pulled me back into the house. I found Abby sitting at my laptop, the printer going. I tried to see what she was printing, but she snatched it away fast. Ziva was throwing away the garbage we had left on the table. Abby giggled, and we both looked at her. She had Ziva's binder, and was putting pieces of paper on the front. Ziva sat down on the air mattress, her eyes shutting.

"I'm hit."

"Its beat, Ziva." I said, sitting down next to her. I was starting to get tired too, my head drooping. Ziva grabbed my shoulder, pulling me down to lay. I obliged, letting her put my head in her lap. Abby sighed, and I looked at her.

"All done." She said, handing me my binder and handing Ziva hers. I sat up, waiting to look at mine. I wanted to see Ziva's. I watched as she blushed, hiding the binder.

"What?" I asked, and she looked at me. I could see the embarrassment. "What?" I asked again. She looked away as she handed me the binder. Abby giggled in excitement.

There were 5 pictures; all arranged so there was no overlapping. The one that was in the middle caught my eye first. The colors were beautiful, and the sky looked like it was just setting. I realized that Abby had taken it when me and Ziva were dancing. It looked like only one person was standing there in the fading sunlight. But then I saw Ziva's arms, and I smiled. I saw her feet on mine.

The next one that I saw was from the pool party, one week ago. I smiled as I saw me and Ziva in the pool. She was laughing, her face lit up. I was watching her, my hands on the top of the water. It was an amazing picture. I smiled as I remembered that day.

Two of them were from when we were running through the house, me chasing her. I found myself staring at Ziva's face, and looked away.

The last one shocked me, catching me off guard. It was when Ziva and I first started to dance. I was spinning her around, and our eyes were locked. I felt my mouth open, and I heard Abby giggle. I looked up at her.

"Abby, this was what you were doing?" I asked, and she giggled again.

"Well, yeah! You guys are just so cute; I had to get some pictures. I'm sorry, but you have to admit it's cute." Abby said, crawling over to Ziva. She still had her face covered in her hands, her knees to her chest. She was breathing heavily.

"Ziva, what's wrong?" I asked her, and she shook her head. I pulled her hands away from her face. Her face was blank.

"What's wrong?" I asked again. She grabbed her binder again, looking at the front. I could see her eyes going over the pictures. I leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"We're cute, aren't we?" She laughed.

"Sure." She said, and I looked at her. She was smirking.

"You're teasing me." I said. She shrugged, pulling my binder into her lap. I looked, and saw 5 pictures once again. The first one I saw was the same one that was on Ziva's binder, of us in the sun light. That was the only picture we had in common. There was one of me and McGee, getting our heads slapped by Gibbs. I recognized one from Frank's younger sister's birthday party, and laughed at the memory. I looked up at Ziva, and watched her face. Her eyes went over the pictures, and then she looked at me.

"Your binder is better than mine." She complained, handing me mine back. I laughed, my eyes threatening to close on me. I looked up at the couch to see Abby, asleep and drooling. Ziva looked up, smiling.

"She's so cute." She whispered, lying down on the air mattress. I got up and walked around the house, turning off all the lights. When I walked back into the living room, Ziva was laying next to the couch on top of the blankets, asleep. I smiled, pulling the blankets over her. I was about to walk away when she spoke.

"Stay, please?" She whispered, her sleepy eyes opening.

(Ziva's POV)

I looked up at Tony, and saw his signature grin. He sat down on the bed, lying out next to me. I smiled at him, letting my eyes shut. It was quiet, the only sound breathing. I felt two hands grab my waist and pull me to his chest. I sighed in content, curling into his chest. I wrapped my arms around his torso, nuzzling my face into his shirt. I heard him hum to himself, and then his breathing became more even. The lull of chest put me to sleep, not but 5 minutes later.

--

I woke up still wrapped in his arms, warm and content. I knew he was awake, because he was running his fingers through my hair. I smiled slightly, stretching my hands above my head. I kept my eyes shut, but I could feel him smiling

"Good Morning." He whispered, obviously not wanting to wake up Abby. I opened my eyes, staring right into his.

"Morning." I whispered back, rolling over. My hand hit something hard, and I picked up Tony's cell phone. I opened it up, looking at the time. It was 5 AM. I groaned, covering my eyes.

"It's too early." I said, letting my head fall into my pillow. Tony rubbed my back.

"Well, we have to go back to school." He said, and I stiffened. He noticed and lay back down next to me.

"What happened in third period?" He asked, and I shut my eyes, shaking my head. I didn't want to talk about it. I just didn't.

"Nothing." I answered, and he sighed.

"Well, if something does happen tell me, okay?" I looked at him, and saw he was being completely serious. I nodded, and he hugged me close. When he let me go he got up, walking into the living room. I stretched out again, looking at the ceiling. Abby coughed, and I looked at her. She was stretching out, her eyes pinched shut. She rolled off the couch and next to me, her eyes opening up.

"Morning Ziva." She cooed, her arms wrapping around me. I chuckled as she shut her eyes again, falling back to sleep. I heard Tony move in the kitchen, and my stomach growled. Loud. Abby sat up, looking down at me.

"Was that your stomach?" She asked, and I blushed. She laughed at me, sitting back against the couch. I heard Tony laugh and I got up.

"Excuse me." I said, going into the bathroom. I had to pee. I sat on the toilet, listening to the sounds outside. I heard someone knock on the front door, and hurriedly finished my business. I walked out to see Gibbs, being smothered in one of Abby's bone crushing hugs. He was smiling, holding his daughter.

"Good Morning Abs." He said to her, placing her back down on the ground. I walked up next to Abby, and Gibbs smiled at me

"How was your night, Ziva?" He asked me, smirking. Somehow, he knew Tony and I slept on the air mattress together. I looked at Tony, who was shrinking back into the kitchen.

"I got a lot of sleep." I answered, and Gibbs nodded. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a box. He handed it to me, smiling slightly.

"Jenny thought we should give you a little present, and we went shopping last night." He motioned for me to open it, and I did. "It's just a little something, get the whole American experience." He laughed, and I smiled. I opened the top of the box, to see a black phone staring at me. I picked it up, and Abby gasped.

"That is the sickest phone!" She said, watching as I opened it up, and shut it again. Tony walked over, his eyes on it.

"That's the EnV2, right?" He asked Gibbs, who nodded. I stared at the phone, amazed.

"This is so cool." I said. Gibbs smiled. I looked back in the box, and saw something else. I picked it up, and gasped. I knew what this was.

"An iTouch?" I said, suddenly giddy. I looked at Gibbs, excited. He nodded. I handed my presents to Abby and gave Gibbs a hug. He laughed, but hugged me back.

"Thank you so much Gibbs." I said, and he patted my back.

"You're welcome Ziva." I let go of his neck, and grabbed the iTouch again. I turned it on, staring at the screen. I was so happy.

"Are there any songs on there?" Tony asked, and I shook my head. Gibbs had sat down at the table, and he was sipping his coffee.

"You guys can choose what songs you want to put on there." He said, and Abby sat down with her dad. I looked at Tony, my stomach doing flips as my excitement got the better of me. I hugged him, throwing my arms around his neck. He laughed, his arms around my waist. I saw Gibbs smile as him and Abby talked. I let go of Tony, staring at my presents again. Tony grabbed my phone, looking at it. He pressed some buttons, looking around. I looked at the screen, watching as he did some stuff. I knew it would take me a while to get the phone down, but I would eventually. I watched as Tony clicked contacts, and saw that either Jenny or Gibbs has put some contacts in for me. Abby, Gibbs, Home, Jenny, Tony were already in there. Tony went onto a new page, looking for something. He found what he wanted, which was my phone number. He programmed it into his own phone, handing me back my phone.

"There. Now you can text me during third period." He whispered into my ear. I looked up.

"Text?" I asked, and Gibbs laughed.

"This is going to be funny." He said, walking out the door. Abby looked at us.

"I'm going to take a shower, okay Tony?" She said. Tony nodded. Abby grabbed her bag and disappeared up the stairs. Tony had his lap top open, plugging my iTouch into it. I sat down next to him, and watched. He opened up iTunes, looking through his songs. I looked at all 1000 of them, not recognizing any of them. I watched as he set up my iTouch, typing away at the keyboard. He looked at me.

"You'll like these songs." He said, and I nodded. He left the iPod plugged in, and put his lap top up on his desk. I looked at the clock.

(Tony's POV)

I unplugged Ziva's iTouch, turning it on. I went to the setting, changing some of them. When I got to passcode, I stopped. I thought for a moment, and then typed 8669. Smiling to myself, I wrapped up the iTouch. Ziva had disappeared, probably to get dressed. It was 7, and I got up to get dressed myself. When I am came back down stairs, Ziva was sitting at the table, eating a bowl of cereal. Her hair was up in a tight pony tail, and she was wearing shorts. I stopped, staring at her legs.

_Damn._

She looked at me, smiling.

"Ready to go?" She asked, oblivious to what she was doing to my hormones. I smiled at her.

"Yeah, one second." I said, grabbing her iTouch. I tossed it to her, and she caught it. I grabbed my car keys, opening the door for her. McGee was outside, waiting for Abby.

"She'll be out in a minute." I said, as I opened the car door for Ziva. She smirked at me as she got in, shutting the door. I smirked back, walking around to get in. Ziva was staring at her iTouch, confused.

"Passcode?" She asked, and I grinned.

"8669." I answered. She looked at the keys, trying to figure out what that meant.

"Tony, you are such a roast." I laughed, and she looked at me.

"It's ham." I said, and she laughed too. She put her headphones in, turning on the music. I watched as she winced at bad songs, and looked for one she liked. I pulled up to 7/11, and she looked at me.

"Be right back." I said, getting out. She nodded, putting her headphone back in. I walked inside, grabbing a water and gum. They guy behind the counter was the same that rang me up yesterday, and he glared at me. I smirked, taking my bag out to my car.

"I like this song." Ziva said to me as I sat back down. I looked at the album cover, and nodded.

"Sixpence None the Richer is a great band." I said, pulling out of the parking lot. I drove down the road, looking over at Ziva every once in a while. She was so wrapped up in the music she didn't notice. I pulled into the student parking lot, and she looked up. She shut off her iPod and got out of the car. I saw her shove her phone into pocket, holding her recently decorated binder.

"I hope no one asks about this." She said, pointing to the binder. I couldn't help but feel a little hurt.

"Why?" I asked, pulling her into the main hallway to our lockers. She shrugged.

"You said American kids are stupid, but I'd bet they would jump to conclusions about this." She said. I nodded, getting what she meant. We put our lunches in our lockers and walked to first period as the bell rang. Mr. Keaton greeted us as we walked inside, and we sat at our table. Greg was already there, trying to get Jessica to laugh. Her face was blank, as usual. She never laughed.

"Today, I've decided to give you a quiz to see what you remember." Keaton said, making everyone groan. He passed out the quiz, and everyone shut up. I rubbed my head, trying to remember Geometry. Ziva's pencil was moving across the paper, doing out problems. I tried to focus on my own paper, wracking my brain. I started working, and was half way through when Ziva got up. She took the paper over to Mr. Keaton, who looked quite amazed as he corrected it. He handed it back to her with a smile on his face. Ziva sat back down, pulling her short down over her legs. I was one of the last to finish, bringing it up for Keaton to correct. He went over it, checking two of them wrong. He smiled.

"Good job Anthony." He said as I walked back to my seat. I looked at Ziva's paper, and she smirked.

"Of course you got a perfect score." I whispered, and Greg laughed. Jessica picked her teeth.

After our quiz, we did some group problems. Everyone was surprised when our table got all of the problems right. I discreetly pointed to Ziva and she slapped my hand away. Greg laughed at Ziva, poking her in the arm. When the bell rang, Ziva was one of the first out the door, and I followed her to our lockers.

"See, that wasn't bad." I said as I walked up next to her. She grimaced.

"Hey Tony." A voice said behind me, and I stiffened.

"Hey, Jeanne." I said as I turned, regretting it. She was standing there, her arms clenching her binder. I took a tiny step back, wanting to distance myself from her. She took a step forward. She was smiling.

"I haven't seen you in a while." She said, her voice too frilly. I shrugged.

"I've been… busy. You know, working." I said. I was thinking of a way to get away from her.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this weekend, you know. Like old times." She was now too close to me. Her hand was on my arm. I looked behind me to see Ziva, smirking. I then got an idea.

"Actually, I can't. I am already doing something." I semi lied. Jeanne looked up at me, trying to look sexy. She just looked stupid and clumsy.

"Well, what are you doing?" She asked me. I hadn't thought of that yet.

"He has to work." Ziva said from behind me. Jeanne looked around me at her, her eyes cold.

"Who are you?" Jeanne snapped. Ziva walked up next to me, and Jeanne backed up. Somehow, I knew Ziva was using her crazy ninja skills.

"I'm Ziva, an exchange student from Israel." She said, her hand grabbing my arm. "Tony has to work for my exchange family." Ziva twisted me away from Jeanne, pulling me down the hall and out into the courtyard. As soon as we were out in the sunlight, I turned to her.

"My crazy ninja!" I said, hugging her. She laughed, playfully pushing me away.

"Come, let's eat. It's hot." She said. I pulled her into the cafeteria, where I found Frank. I sat down next to him, and Ziva plopped herself down too. Frank looked at her, smiling.

"Looks like you welcome the heat." Frank pointed to her shorts, and she shrugged. Patrick Blue and Nathan Hines were looking at her from across the table. And then at tables around us, girls were looking at her enviously. But Ziva was clueless.

Frank blabbed on and on about first period P.E, and how there was this really hot girl. When tutorial ended, Ziva and I walked to Chem. Ducky was getting a lab ready for us, and I grinned. My favorite part of science was the labs. Ziva and I were partners, and we finished the lab first. I was starting to like having nerdy Ziva as my partner. When the bell rang for lunch, we stayed. Our third periods were right near the science wing, and it was cold in the classroom. Ducky walked up to where we were sitting.

"Are you two going to stay in here today?" He asked, sitting down on the edge of a desk. Ziva nodded.

"Yes. Our next classes our close by, and it's cool in here." She smiled up at him, and he smiled back.

"Well, I'm honored in some sorts. Although, I would ask that you keep it clean. I don't mind little crumbs, but don't leave it a pig sty." Ducky said, eating some of his lunch.

"I was wondering, where are you from exactly Ziva? I've heard teachers talking, but no one seems to have the same story." Ducky was long winded.

"I'm from Israel." She said, picking the sticker off her apple. Ducky nodded, swallowing his pasta. He looked at me, smiling.

"How do you know Ziva?" He asked. I started to feel like I was being interrogated.

"My neighbor, Gibbs as we call him, is her exchange "dad" so to speak. I work for him, because I spilled paint all over his car, so I met Ziva while working one day. My mom made me promise to look out for her." I realized that Ziva didn't know that, and looked at her. She was staring at me, her face slightly hurt.

"She said that people wouldn't be accepting of you, and she wanted to make sure that you had a friend. After the pool party, I didn't find a reason to stop being your friend." I tried to explain, and she smiled. But only a little.

"I see. Well, you two seem to have a good relationship, right?" Ducky said. I laughed, leaning over to poke Ziva in the arm. Ducky smiled at them.

"Did you hear that Ziva?" I cooed at her, and she smacked me. I knew it was playful by how careful she was as to not hurt me. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and Ziva stiffened. She looked at me, and I could only stare back.

"I will see you guys on Monday then." Ducky said. I got up, taking my garbage to the can. Ziva walked out the door, her head down. I caught up with her, taking out her phone. I set it on vibrate and handed it to her.

"You need me, text me. I'll meet you at the bathrooms at 2:30, okay?" She nodded, and walked into her classroom. I saw her go to her seat in the back of the class.

I walked to my class, worrying.

* * *

_I also have some ideas about what to do with Jeanne, even though I would love for her to not be in here, It's just so much fun to do so. I also wanted to say that you should not get the Env2 from Verizon Wireless, it sucks. The iTouch, on the other hand, rocks. I want one._

_Review please? The more reviews I get, the faster I type. I swear, I'm not lying._

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	5. Chapter 5: August, still

_Two updates in one day, ehh? I'm feeling creative. Really creative. That, and I have free time. And I love getting reviews. But I have a proposition for you Tiva loving fans._

_I get up to 50 reviews, that is only 11, and I will have a special Tiva moment for you in the next chapter. I mean, it's going to be a special, heart warming, moment. Something fluffly. That is my proposition. Take it, or leave it. If I get more than 50, i'll consider a kiss. I'm not sure. I've been thinking about this for a while. Anywho, If Eli seems OOC, sorry._

**Disclaimer: So, I own NOTHING, you got that big shot lawyers? :)  
Oh, and this is dedicated to  
OutCold, who has been talking to me the past what, three hours through reviews and PM's, keeping me going and on task while writing this. Thanks Girl. :)**

**Chapter Five: Third Period.**

* * *

I watched the clock, wanting to get out of my photography class. I loved photography, don't get me wrong, but I hated the people in there. They were inconsiderate, rude, mean, stupid, lazy, and…. well ugly people throughout. I sat in the back, watching as the teacher showed us the basics of the cameras we would be using. One of the guys made a snide remark, most likely referring to me, and I winced. Everyone laughed, and the teacher shut them up.

"So, I have a project for you all. I've asked the teachers to let you walk around and take some pictures. I've assigned you each a part of the campus. You'll be allowed inside, and to take pictures that do not disrupt the class. I want to see what kind of eye you have." She said to us. I listened as she assigned everyone their area, and prayed I'd get the one area I really wanted.

"Ziva, you get the shop area." I jumped inside, happy. She handed me the camera, and I exited the class room, happy to leave.

"Watch out for Hitler." Kent Barer said to me as he walked out, heading the opposite direction. I rolled my eyes, happy to walk out of the hallway. I walked down into the yard that the shops surrounded, looking. I decided I should start with wood, as I could see kids working. I walked over to the teacher, who smiled at me.

"You from Photography?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Everyone, keep on going. I don't want anyone posing for pictures, or doing anything stupid." He yelled, and waved his hand for me to go. I could feel guys staring at me as I walked over to one of the girls in the class. She was sanding a piece of wood, and I got down to table level, taking a picture. She smiled at me as I stood back up, walking away. I saw two kids arguing over something, and took a picture. They didn't notice. I took some more pictures, trying to keep away from the guys who were looking me out.

I walked out, waving thanks to the teacher. My next stop was metal, and I was surprised to see all the students in their chairs. The teacher saw me, but didn't acknowledge. She obviously didn't want kids to turn around. I crouched down, taking a picture up the middle row. One kids turned to look at me, his face kind of curious. I moved around the room, taking another picture. I moved out of the class room as soon as people realized I was there.

Outside, I took a picture of the mural on the building. The sun was at the right angle so it was on top of the building almost. Then I took some of the cars, and then moved onto Auto shop. I felt my spirits lift when I walked in. There were people sitting around a car, while others were at a sink. Some were next to an engine, sticking their hands in it. I saw Tony, sitting in the front seat of a car, messing with the dash. The teacher got up from his seat out of the action when he saw me.

"You must be from photography? Feel free to go around, taking pictures. Just, watch out for grease. It would stain those jeans all to hell." He said, and I smiled.

"Anyone acts stupid; they're on wash duty for a month." He said, and everyone looked over at me. Tony grinned at me, and then looked back down at the wires he held. I moved around the classroom, taking a picture of stuff here and there. I couldn't help but laugh as I caught the kids at the sink in a water fight, looking more like kindergarteners' than high school students.

I saw Frank, who nodded at me. He had his arm all the way in the engine, his face up against what looked like a long, winding pipe. I snapped a picture, catching him wincing. I walked over to where Tony was sitting, smiling at him not looking at me. I knew he knew I was there, because he sat up straighter. I took a picture of his and his partners hands, entangled in the wires. I then took a picture of their faces as they got something right. The expression of joy in their features was hard to miss. I walked around the car, watching everyone watch a demo a senior was giving. I walked up beside Tony and he looked up.

"Hey Ziva. How are you?" He asked, his hands moving over the dash to find a rag. He whipped off his face, scratching his nose. I could see the grease on his hands, and moved my legs away.

"I'm better now that I'm out here." I said, taking a picture of him whipping his face. He smiled up at me, placing his rag on the ground next to my feet. I moved away from it, then walked away from the car altogether. I walked over to the teacher, who smiled at me.

"You know DiNozzo?" He asked me. I nodded, putting the lenses cover on my camera.

"He's my neighbor." I answered, looking around. He tilted his head.

"You're living with Gibbs?" He asked, almost falling off his chair.

"Yes, as an exchange student." I said. He nodded.

"Let me tell you something; Gibbs is usually a cold hearted bastard, but the fact that he considered taking in an exchange student must mean he really likes you. I would know, I've known him for years. We go back." He said, glaring at one of his students. The kid put down the wrench, walking away.

"He's never mentioned any of his friends." I said, and he nodded.

"Just like him. Tell him Fornell says high for me when you see him." He said, before getting up and going over to discipline a kid. I waved at Tony, walking back out into the sun light. I looked at my phone, seeing the time. I walked back into my classroom, seeing that only half of the kids were back. I made my way back to my seat, going through the pictures I had taken. Kent walked back inside, sneering at me. He sat on my desk, poking me on the head.

"Have fun, Dae-vid." He said, messing up my last name. I didn't respond, and he grabbed my chin. I was forced to look up at him.

"I asked you a question." He said, and I shrugged.

"I'd rather be there than here." I spat, breaking my chin out of his hands. He laughed, putting his elbow on my head. I shook him off, and he sneered at me again. He pulled on my pony tail, and I pushed him off my desk. He fell, looking up at me.

"You're a bitch." He said, spitting out the last word. I stared at him.

"You don't even know me." I said, kicking him. He grabbed my foot, twisting it. I had never wanted to kill someone more in my life.

"Stop it." I said, kicking him with my other foot. He grabbed that, and I broke my feet free. I stood up, walking up to the teacher.

"May I go to the bathroom?" I asked, and she nodded. I stormed out of the room, going to the bathrooms. Tony was there, getting a drink of water. The second I saw him, my heart jumped. I ran over to him, catching him by surprise as I threw my arms around him. He caught me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Hey, Ziva what's wrong?" He fell against the wall, holding me up. I buried my face in his neck, trying my hardest not to break down. He rubbed my back, comforting me. I shut my eyes, happy to be here.

He gently pulled me into a more secluded place next to the boy's bathroom door. From here, no one could see us unless they were right next to us.

"What's wrong?" He asked me, leaning against the wall. I shook my head, and he sighed. He gently pulled me down on the ground, sitting with me in his lap. I let him, so upset to think.

"Are you ever going to tell me what happens in there?" He asked. I didn't answer. I was getting close to, if he would only shut up. I looked up at him, and he slightly moved back.

_(Tony's POV)_

I was shocked. Her eyes had more emotions in them than I had ever seen in her eyes. There was hurt, an emotion I wish I didn't see. There was also disgust, and I didn't know if it was towards me, or towards whoever was making her feel this way. I was hoping for the ladder. Then, I saw something I had never seen, and it scared me.

There was a single tear, sitting on the bottom lashes of her right eye. I reached up, whipping it away. She looked down, clearly embarrassed. I put my finger under her chin, and she jerked away. She then remembered it was me, and let her head fall on my chest. I could feel her body jerking, as if she were crying.

"I'm sorry. I'm pathetic." She said, and I placed my hands on either side of her face, making her face me. I could see there were no more tears, but she looked as if she could cry a million.

"No, you aren't. You're only human. No one calls that pathetic." I said, pulling her close to me. She was shaking again, but I didn't feel or hear any tears.

"Yes I am. I'm all upset just because some guy is pulling on my feet, and poking fun at me. I'm lame." She whispered. I shook my head.

"Who?" I asked. I couldn't help but feel protective.

"Kent Barer." She whispered, and I cursed. She looked at me, confused.

"His older brother is the same guy who tried to put Abby in a trash can our freshman year." I said, wanting nothing more than to do the same to Kent. Ziva was still looking at me, with confused eyes.

"Why did he do that?"

"Because, he thought she was weird. So, to be an ass, he put her in a trashcan because he thought she was trash. I found out, picked him up and put him in one myself." I explained. Ziva smiled up at me, her face brightening up.

"That's really sweet Tony." She said, laying her head on my shoulder again. I stopped, thinking to myself. Was I finally earning her trust? I could only hope. I had tried to earn it early on, when I first met her. She just seemed to push me away. Abby and she shared a deeper connection, like sisters would. I found myself envying that when Ziva needed someone, like she did now. But, I couldn't help but think that maybe she was letting me in, letting me be there.

"Yeah, but Abby is like a sister to me. I love that girl." I said sincerely. I looked down at my phone, seeing that we had spent a good 5 minutes talking. We would have to get back soon. Ziva seemed to read my mind, knowing what I was thinking.

"I don't want to go back." She whispered. I nodded, but I had to be rational. They would mark us as cutting if we didn't.

"You have less than half an hour, and you're in the back right? Hide your phone and text me. I'm done for the day in Auto, so we can do what we want." I said, and she nodded. She unfolded herself off my lap and offered a hand to help me up. I took it, pushing myself up off the wall. I stood in front of her, watching as she opened her phone. I pressed message, then new. From there, I started a new message. She typed "Hi" and hit send. I smiled at her, knowing she would be alright.

"I'll see you outside when the bell rings, okay?" I said, and she nodded. I reached forward, but she stepped away. I sighed, realizing that just as soon as she let me in, I was pushed back out. I walked with her back to the hallway, and she smiled at me as she walked back in the door. I sighed, walking back over to auto. I noticed that Frank had been watching, and he wanted to talk.

"Is she okay?" He asked the one million dollar question. I sighed, opening my phone. I texted Ziva back, and turned to Frank.

"Kent Barer is giving her trouble." I answered, sitting down on the couch that had somehow made it into auto two years ago as a senior prank. Frank sat back, looking at me.

"Kent's brother tried to throw Abby in a trash can right?" I nodded, and Frank let out a sigh.

"What is it with that family?" He asked me, and I shook my head. I got a text back from Ziva, and I opened my phone.

Z: _he won't let go of my hair._

I could only frown. Either Kent was stupid, or suicidal. Because I knew that Ziva was giving him the death glare at the moment. I pressed the button to reply, feeling Frank's eyes on the screen.

T: _Punch him in the face, and say you had a spasm._

Frank laughed, looking at Fornell getting dirty.

"I hope she does punch him." Frank said, laughing as Fornell squirted oil on a stupid freshman. I laughed along, opening my phone as it vibrated.

Z: _I kicked him. he went away_

I smiled; glad Ziva had made him go away. I replied with a smiley face, and looked back at Frank. He was watching me closely.

"I'm going to be honest here man, but I really like Ziva. Like, as a person. I can already see that is a special person. I just really would hate for someone to be picking on her and being an ass. I think we talk to Kent." Franks may have been kind of out there, but when he was serious, you knew. I smiled at him.

"I was thinking the same thing."

--

_Israel._

Eli looked down at his hands, wondering what was best to do right now. He honestly wasn't sure. He picked up a picture of Ziva that was sitting on his desk. He loved his daughter. It may have not seemed he did, but deep down he was concerned for her every second she was in America. He had thought about calling the number they had given him, talking to her like most dads would do when their daughters were gone. But he couldn't get the courage to call. He couldn't get the guts to pick up the phone, dial a 1 and then her number.

He looked at his hands, angry at himself.

What kind of a father was he?

* * *

_I know, a little OOC, maybe. But, I'm thinking about making this story interesting. Just a little haha. Okay, more than a little. Oh, and when you review to get that Tiva moment, tell me if you want Air and Kate in the story, or anyone else you can think of. Tell me, I'll see who gets the most Yes's and No's. I'll be waiting as I work on the next chapter. God, I'm feeling good. I want to get as many chapters as possible before School gets in teh way, and Star Testing happens. So, you know the deal. You review, I thank you, answer any questions. Yadda Yadda. :)_

Thanks, Izzy:)


	6. Chapter 6: August & September

_Oh my lord, the number of reviews I got on the last chapter. Well, I hope I do not dissapoint, even though some of you will probably try to hunt me down and kill me while reading this. I'm sorry if you get angered at this. I truly am. But, I have an idea, and I'm going with it kiddys._

**Disclaimer: ...... Stfu CBS.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Silent Rain Falling, & OutCold mainly. For the help and the constant ideas that Silent gives me. That, and all of the people who reveiwed. Thank you guys. :)**

Chapter Six: Parental Problems.

_P.S: Because I felt like it, I added a small little tid bit of Jibbs. :)_

_P.P.S: **As your reading, pick your favorite line, quote, descripition and send it to me when you review. I'd like to know your actually reading haha.**_

* * *

I walked out of third period, with Kent following me. He was trying to get me to look at him, trying to get me to snap on him. But all I was thinking about was getting down the stairs and to Tony.

"Why so quick Ziva?" Kent pushed my back, causing me to trip into the door. People looked over at us, staring at me. I opened the door, seeing Tony waiting for me. Kent was behind me when I walked up to Tony, and Tony's eyes went cold at the sight of him.

"Hola Ziva." Frank said, looking at me. I smiled at him, pulling my iTouch out of my back pocket.

Kent was still next to me, blabbing away.

"Hey, go away Barer." Tony said, putting his arm around my waist and pulling me away from Kent. I let him lead me, my head phones on. I wasn't paying attention, but Kent must have said something, because suddenly Tony wasn't next to me anymore, and Frank wasn't either. I turned to see Kent step back, blood coming out of his nose. He swung at Tony, and then I couldn't see anything. There was a huge crowd around them, and I was just standing off to the side, watching, helpless. I couldn't hear anything, my music was too loud. But I didn't want to take off my headphones. I didn't want to hear.

I walked away, turning my back on the fight. Instead of waiting for Tony, I pulled out my phone and texted Abby.

_can you give me a ride home?_

I walked to the parking lot, where I knew she would be.

_McGee can drive both of us, yeah. Why?_

I saw her, and walked over. I didn't take off my headphones, and when she saw my face she didn't ask. I got in the back seat of McGee's car, putting on my seat belt. Abby turned around to look at me as McGee drove. My phone went off, and I looked at it. Tony was calling me.

"Where did you go?" He asked. I could hear people in the background; he was most likely in the office.

"I'm getting a ride home with Abby and McGee." I answered, feeling Abby's eyes on me. Tony said something to someone in the background, and then he sighed.

"I'll see you at home then." He said, and hung up. I set my phone in my lap, putting my headphone back in. I could see Abby and McGee talking, but didn't bother to listen. All I wanted to do was get home, and go for a swim. When McGee pulled up to the house, I got out as fast as I could. I walked inside, ignoring Jenny's worried looks and Gibbs confused stare. I changed into my swimming suit and got into the pool. Pushing off the end, I started my laps. Swimming calmed me, as did punching a bag, but I didn't have a punching bag. I had a pool. I swam for a good hour, and when I got out I had wrinkles on my fingers. I could hear arguing in the house, and decided to stay out next to the pool.

"Ziva?" Abby asked. I didn't answer, and she sat down next to me.

"Ziva, what happened?" Abby asked. I bit my bottom lip, fighting back the urge to punch someone.

"What….. what did I do wrong?" I asked, looking over at Abby. She sighed, reaching over to put her hand on my shoulder.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Why would you ask that?" I stopped, thinking about third period.

"Kent Barer, he won't leave me alone. He messes with me, says all these things that are rude, hurtful, and he doesn't even care. What did I do to have someone hate me so much?" I asked, and Abby sighed. She scooted over, putting her arm around my shoulder.

"He doesn't hate you. He just probably thinks you're weird, new. No one puts up with his shit, and because you're a new kid he's going to give you a lot of it. Once he realizes that you aren't going to take his crap, he'll leave you alone. Now come on back inside." Abby tried to pull me up, but I kept sitting.

"Abby, do you think people hate me?" I asked, looking up at Abby. She sat back down, putting her head on my shoulder.

"People are going to judge you Ziva. People are going to look at you and go 'who is she?'." I laughed at Abby's impersonation of a fake voice. She smiled, going on. "And, I have to say, girls are going to be brutal to you. You have the attention of one of the most popular guys in the school. Well, both of them. Frank and Tony are like, gods to most girls. They would do anything to be in the position that you are in. Tony drives you to school each day, and today you were sitting with them at lunch. I heard some people in third period talking about you, wondering who you were. It's true, girls are bitches. But, you have to keep your head up and not let it get to you. Because when you do, they will attack and then you're screwed." Abby smiled and I sighed.

"Girls find Tony and Frank to be 'Gods'?" I asked, putting air quotes around gods. Abby nodded.

"Well, you know. They think that Tony and Frank are like, the hottest, most amazing guys on the planet. I've known them since Gibbs and Jenny adopted me when I was like, three months old. They are like the best brothers in the world, and I couldn't ask for anyone better. A lot of the girls around here drool over them. The Jones twins across the street have been fighting over them for years. It's just what girls do." Abby smacked her own leg. I laughed.

"Thank you Abby." I said, pulling Abby into a hug. She hugged me back, a little harder than necessary. I smiled; glad to have her with me. She patted my cheek before getting up, turning.

"Oh, hey Tony." She said, and I froze.

_(Tony's POV)_

I was a shocked to hear what Abby and Ziva were talking about. Ziva's guard was way down while she talked to Abby, and I was a little jealous of Abby. I also saw Ziva stiffen; she didn't know I was there.

"Hi Abby." I said to her, hugging her quickly before going over to Ziva. I sat down next to her, waiting until I heard Abby walk away. I waited for a second, feeling the uncomfortable silence.

"Are you okay?" We asked at the same time, and she laughed. I smiled, and she nodded at me.

"You look hurt." She said, and I touched the bandage on my face from where Kent had hit me. Grimacing slightly, I shrugged.

"It's nothing." I said. She glanced knowingly at me.

"Right. So if I were to do this…" She reached up to touch my bandage. I moved away, and she laughed.

"Yeah, it hurts." I said, covering up the bandage with my hand. She grinned, splashing her feet in the water. It was then that I realized she was wearing her bikini again. I looked at her tan stomach, then back at her eyes. She was smirking. I changed the subject.

"Are you okay after today?" I asked. She stiffened, and I knew that this was something she probably didn't want to talk about. She nodded, making an effort to smile.

"I'll be better." I tilted my head, and she frowned.

"That is how you say it, right?" She asked, and I knew what she meant.

"It's, I'll be fine." I laughed.

"Stupid American Idioms." She mumbled, and I smiled at her. She smiled back, and splashed her feet again.

"How much trouble did you get into?" She asked. I shrugged.

"My mom's going to kill me." I said, and she laughed.

"Not much." She played along, and I scratched around my bandage. It was itchy, and I wanted it off.

"Yeah, but Kent's in more trouble than me and Frank put together. Apparently, one of the kids in your photography class told the principal about him being an ass to you. He is getting a suspension." Ziva nodded, splashing some more. The cool water was nice on my feet as the sun beat down on us.

"Do you think he'll stop now?" She asked, preoccupied with the water. I pulled her head to face me, smiling.

"If he doesn't, I think he's retarded." I joked. She smiled at me. I was going to hug her, but she was wet. So instead, I leaned over and kissed her forehead. She smiled, standing up and grabbing her towel. I stood up too, wrapping my arm around her as we walked back into the house.

**--One Month Later--**

_(Ziva's POV)_

I walked down the hall way, catching up with Tony as he walked out of first period. He was angry; I could see it in his shoulders. When I caught up, he stopped, turning to me.

"Tell me I'm dreaming all of this." He whispered, and I shook my head.

"But you're not." He groaned, turning around to open his locker.

"It's a figure of speech Ziva. A rit… never mind." He said, and I bit my tongue. When he grabbed his lunch, I grabbed his arm and pulled him the opposite way that we had started going. I pulled him down the hall, and out near the gym. I knew, even as the new girl, that no one was back here during tutorial. I pulled him over next to the rowing room, where it was more secluded. He dropped his binder on the rim around the planters. Sitting, he stared at me. I stared back, just as stubborn as he was. He sighed, and I smiled.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"Don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness." I moved out of the sun, my hair burning on my head. He nodded, smirking at my Gibbs quote.

"My bad. But I am sorry." He said. I sat next to him, and pulled his water bottle out of his bag. He frowned at me as I took a drink, but took a drink himself.

"I guess I just overreacted, a little." I scoffed, and he grinned sheepishly at me. I looked around; making sure no one was near us. I turned back to Tony, his eyes on mine. I moved to his lap, wrapping my arms around his torso. He pulled me in, holding me close. I fought back a sigh, knowing this wasn't what we were supposed to be up to. If my dad found out, he would have killed me. When the bell rang, we jumped apart, heading off to chem.

--

I walked out of third period, heading towards the court yard. My stomach flopped as I saw him, and I felt the need to throw up. He smiled at me, his hand grabbing mine as soon as it was in reach.

"Hello Ziva." He said to me, and I smiled up at him.

"Hi Micheal." I inwardly puked, swallowing hard. He pulled me across the courtyard to the student parking lot, where I saw Abby and McGee. Abby winced at me, and immediately smiled when Micheal looked at her. I broke away from him for a second, running over to her.

"Hey Abs." I said as I pulled her into a hug. She smiled at me, looking over my shoulder.

"How is it going…?" She trailed off as I gave her a look. She nodded.

"I'll see you at home." She said, jumping in McGee's car. I waved at them, walking back over to Micheal. He smiled at me, wrapping his arm around my waist. I followed him to his car, getting in. I took a moment to check my hair in the mirror, fixing my part. Michael got in, and laughed at me. I smirked at him, slipping on my seat belt. He pulled out, and I caught a glimpse of Tony. He didn't drive me home on 'A' days anymore. But I did work it out with Micheal that Tony drove me to school, and home on 'B' days. As homework became more, and Micheal came along, I found myself only seeing Tony in class. I kind of got a little sad thinking about it. But I could only blame my dad for this one.

Micheal pulled up outside my house, putting the car in park. I undid my seat belt, about to get out when Micheal pulled me to him. He kissed me softly, and I knew this was going to be bad. I smiled at him as I got out, going in through the garage. Gibbs nodded at me, and I nodded back.

"Abby!" I yelled, and she appeared. I pulled her up to my room, all the way she was blabbing.

"Ziva, Ziva. Calm down, come on, and stop it. I know, ow you're hurting me, and Ziva!" I turned around, looking her in the eyes.

"Do you think I could get away with murder?" I asked, and Abby laughed. I wasn't though, and it soon died off. She was now serious.

"I could. I could kill him and leave-"

"No forensic evidence, I know! But I want my dad to suffer." I said, sitting down. Abby sat on the floor in front of me. She looked serious.

"You don't want to kill your dad. You are just angry that he did this to you. But think about where he is, half way across the world, worrying about you. With Micheal, he can monitor you without _showing_ he cares. And I think Michael cares a lot about you too. It's not like you're getting married." I scowled.

"That's what my dad wants. I'll be you a weeks' salary he wants us to get married. Because that is who he is." I fumed, my fists curling together. Abby didn't flinch. She knew I couldn't hurt her, even if she pissed me off. I loved Abby.

"Yes, but you are seventeen. I know things are different over in Israel, but here in America, it's not legal for you to get married at seventeen. At least, I think… yeah." She smiled. "And that would be stupid. Be happy, okay Ziva? You've still got Tony as your best friend, along with me. Just please your dad for a while longer, and then go against him. But he just cares." I nearly screamed.

"He DOESN'T THOUGH! He couldn't care more." Abby opened her mouth, but shut it.

"I said that wrong, did I?" She nodded, and I sunk to the floor.

"He doesn't care. He just wants to fill his agenda. He wants to please people over in Israel, so he gets more respect. This is only helping him." I whispered, feeling as though I could cry. Abby moved next to me, wrapping an arm around me.

"It's going to be okay Ziva. Trust me on this. I have a good feeling." I smiled at her, shutting my eyes.

_Please be right._

--

I laughed at Gibbs, who was staring at his plate. Jenny was smirking, and Abby was just eating along like nothing was wrong.

"Salad Abs? Come on kid, you know I love you, but honestly?" He said, picking up the plate. I snickered, and received a head slap. I was about to protest when I saw his gaze and stopped. I ate some of my salad, trying hard to not snicker at Gibbs. He tried to pick up a piece of lettuce with is fork, stabbing it. He mumbled to himself, clearly unhappy.

After a couple nights of people complaining about dinner (*coughAbbycough*), Gibbs had decided to make a rule. He called it rule 8. Once a week, someone other than Jenny makes dinner. Gibbs created a rotation, and it was Abby's turn. Mine was next week.

"You're the one who did this." I said, cringing as I waited for a head slap. But I didn't get one. Instead, I got a death glare. I tried to not laugh at Gibbs eating salad. Jenny reached over and took his free hand. He looked at her, his eyes suddenly going soft. I smiled at Abby, who had a happy look on her face. Gibbs looked back down at his salad, taking a bite. He didn't wince; neither did he make a fuss after that. When dinner was over, I cleared and washed with Abby. When we were done, we went off to do our homework. I finished before her, and found myself out in the back yard. Hopping over the fence, I made my way into Tony's house. His mother smiled at me.

"Why, hello Ziva. How are you?" She asked me, and I sat down next to her on the couch.

"I'm good. Is Tony home?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"He'll be here in a bit. I was wondering though. Do you know what's up with him?" She was concerned, and I didn't blame her. I could feel my blood boiling as I remembered how he first reacted.

_Two weeks ago._

"_Ziva!" Eli David said as he walked up to his daughter. He kissed her cheek, looking at her._

"_America seems to have changed you." He said. She shrugged, looking behind him. He, however, was concentrated on other things. He was looking at Tony._

"_You must be Anthony, the boy Gibbs told me about." Eli said, extending his hand. Tony shook it, smiling at Ziva's father._

"_Nice to meet you Sir." Tony said, doing exactly what Ziva said to do. Ziva smiled at him and her father noticed._

"_I assume that you are going to be driving me to the hotel, Anthony?" Eli said, and Tony nodded. He took Eli's bag, and Eli waved the guy behind him to follow. He did, smiling at Ziva. Ziva didn't smile back, but followed Tony. She got in the back seat, letting her father take the front. The guy got in the back, putting on his seat belt. He looked at Ziva again._

"_Ziva, this is Micheal Rivkin." Eli said, and Ziva looked at him. He smiled._

"_Nice to meet you." Micheal said, and Ziva politely shook his hand. She turned back to face the front, looking at Tony in the rear view mirror. He grinned at her, and she smiled._

_When they arrived at the hotel, Tony and Ziva brought Michaels and Eli's stuff to their room._

"_Anthony, I would like a moment with my daughter." Tony nodded, leaving the room._

_Eli turned to Ziva, who looked like she was ready to bolt._

"_Ziva, you know I am only here as your father, and I want you to be happy. So, I have decided that Micheal will stay here while you are here." Ziva tilted her head, feeling her phone go off. Eli went on._

"_As your boyfriend."_

_**Present Day**_

Ziva was sitting on my bed when I walked into my room, her fingers playing with my pajama pants. She looked up at me, jumping off my bed and throwing her arms around me. I smiled, wrapping my arms around her waist. She smelled so good; I thought I was going to die from it.

"I hate my dad." She whispered, and I laughed.

"That makes two of us." I whispered back. It was quiet for a minute, the only sound our breathing. I let her go, sitting down at my desk. She sat down on the floor, leaning her head against my knee.

"How is Micheal?" I instantly regretted it as she found my hand and hit a pressure point. I yelled out in pain.

"OKAY! I get it!" I yelled, and she smiled.

"I do not want to talk about him." She whispered, and I slipped off the chair to sit on the floor, level to her. She smiled at me, placing her hands on either side of my face. I smiled at her, and she squished my face.

"Spoth thasth." I tried to say. Ziva laughed, her eyes shutting. She fell over, her legs untangling. I smiled at her acting childish. I lay out on the floor next to her. She opened her eyes, and suddenly it was quiet. Her laughter died off, and I could feel the tension. I propped myself up on my elbow, looking down at her. She had rolled over on her back, but her eyes were glued to mine.

"This isn't right." She whispered, and I felt a little angered that Micheal was on her mind.

"Who says we have to do things right?" I said, leaning down. Before I knew what was happening, her arms were around my neck, and I was pulling her into my lap. Our lips collided, and even though it was wrong, it felt like the most right thing to be doing.

* * *

_Do not kill me, but you may curse me out in reveiws. Even though, THEY KISSED! Haha. So, eat it. Sorry for the cilffy! but I just had to. Oh, and I got your reveiws about Air and Kate. They will both be in here, most likely. And possibly Palmer. Idk yet. Well_

_REVIEW! I have school tomorrow :( and I'm hoping to come home to reveiws. :)_

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	7. Chapter 7: September

_Oh BOY! Who would have known, that writing one little kiss would get you a good twenty reviews?! I didn't! Anywho, I was pleasntly suprised with all of you, and I have to THANK YOU! Not only did I reach my goal of 50 reviews, but I now have 78 reveiws. I think you guys deserve more than I can give you with a T rated story *wink* Haha just kidding. Anywho, results:_

Thank you guys for telling me your favorite part. It was fun to read what you liked the best. Everyone was different, which was good. I think. And thank for those who said if they wanted Kate and Ari, or even Palmer in here! I have the concensus, and I'm going to have all three of them in here, but I'm not going to tell you when they are coming. And, Vance will be the mean principal. :) Happy happy. :)

**Disclaimer: I got sick, AGAIN!**

Chapter Seven: Date and Sadie Hawkins.

_P.S: Send me your favorite lines again. I love reading what you guys liked the best. :) Kay, now read._

* * *

"_Who says we have to do things right?" I said, leaning down. Before I knew what was happening, her arms were around my neck, and I was pulling her into my lap. Our lips collided, and even though it was wrong, it felt like the most right thing to be doing._

I was lost, lost in my own mind. I didn't know what to think. It was difficult to do so in the first place, but add on the fact that I was kissing him? Well, I was just lost. I knew that technically this was considered, cheating? Yeah, cheating was the term. But, technically, I didn't ask my father for a boyfriend. And if I had to choose, I wouldn't choose Micheal. I would have picked Tony in a heartbeat. Heck, faster than a heartbeat. I would have kissed him sooner if I had known he kissed like this, he would kiss me back. That was on my mind as he pulled back, looking deep into my eyes. I felt my stomach flop.

"This really is wrong." I said. Tony grinned. Typical.

"I'm the other man." I scoffed, smiling to myself. Tony wrapped his arms around me again, holding me close.

"Yes, you are. But, I like to think _he_ is the other man." Tony laughed, kissing my forehead.

"I wish." He whispered.

**--**

Michaels hand was clammy, disgusting. I wanted to drop it. But, I put on a smile as I walked up to the movie theater with him. He paid for the movie, leading me inside.

"Do you want anything?" _Tony._

"Nope. I'm all set." I said, breaking free of his hand. "Just let me go to the bathroom."

I slipped into the bathroom, pulling out my phone. Shutting it off, I checked my face in the mirror. I had decided that Micheal wasn't worth wasting make on. I had stopped wearing it around him completely. I still wore it to school, but when I knew I was going to be seeing him, I just passed it up. I also knew he liked my hair straight, seeing as that was how he first met me. Straight hair and wearing makeup. So, I had stopped borrowing Abby's flat iron.

Fluffing up my hair, I walked back out. I knew that two hours in a movie theater with Micheal was going to be hell, but I was going to put up with it.

"You look pretty." He said, but I could tell he was lying. He grabbed my hand again, pulling me into the right theater. It wasn't dark yet, and I could hear people talking. Micheal pulled me to a seat, and I sat down next to him. I pulled the arm rest down, making sure there was space between me and Micheal. He grabbed my hand though, and I didn't fidget. Moving my feet, I got more comfortable. As the movie went on, Micheal moved his thumb over the back of my hand. I just smiled, keeping my eyes on the screen.

When the movie ended, I hadn't absorbed one thing. We walked out, his hand still grasping mine. It was after dark now, the sun finally setting sometime during the movie. We walked out into the night air, my skin instantly covering in goose bumps. Micheal noticed, and shrugged off his jacket. He put it around my shoulders, smiling.

"Did you like the movie?" He asked, holding my hand again.

"It was interesting." I answered, looking around. The streets lights were on, dimly lighting the sidewalks.

"America is really beautiful." Micheal said, and I almost laughed. He was trying to make small talk. Just proving my point.

"It's amazing. I'll hate to go back to Israel." I looked around, wishing I was at home.

"It's going to be a huge difference." I nodded, smiling at the 7/11 Tony and I always went to after school. I crossed the street, not bothering to look. Micheal yelled out, following me. I entered the store, immediately walking to the drinks. I heard Micheal enter, coming up behind me.

"You scared me." He whispered in my ear. I shrugged.

"I knew what I was doing." I grabbed a green tea, turning around. Micheal was right in front of me.

"Don't do that again." He smiled, and I nodded. I wanted him to move. Instead, he kissed my forehead. It was the same place that Tony had kissed earlier, among other places.

"Excuse me." An older man said, and Micheal moved up against me to let him move. I stifled a scream, not liking the position I was in. When Micheal stepped back, I slipped around him. I grabbed a chocolate bar, moving to the front. The guy behind the counter smiled at me, ringing up my stuff. I smiled back, and Michaels hand went around my waist. I couldn't help it, I flinched. The guy saw, and looked at Micheal. He bagged my stuff and I walked out, moving towards where Michael's car was parked. I waited for him to unlock it, and he looked at me for a second.

"Look, I think we need to talk." He said, unlocking his door.

"Oh, finally." I spat, waiting for him to unlock my door. He didn't.

"Don't be mean; I just think that this is awkward. I didn't ask to come here-" I scoffed.

"Of course you did. My dad would have only picked someone he knew liked me enough to put up with this. Honestly, is it worth it?" I slapped my hand on his car, angry.

"So it's wrong that I think you're beautiful and a wonderful girl? That's wrong?" He asked. I stopped.

"No, it's just wrong to jump up and do this just because of that. You can't make someone like you." I said. He nodded.

"I know that. But, you don't have to be a pessimist and not even try!" He was angry now too. I walked around the car, staying 5 feet from him.

"Why try!? I don't need to. I was fine without you, and I'm going to fine no matter what. I don't need you around to assure that!" I saw the look in his eyes. He was somehow getting pleasure out of this.

"Talk to your dad about that then. But don't take it out on me." He said. I stepped back.

"I'll do whatever I want to; need to, to make your life miserable. Seeing as you are making mine just that." I turned on my heel, walking away.

"Ziva, wait!" he called out, but I didn't stop. His hand grasped my arm, and pulled me around.

"If you're going to be a bitch, give me my jacket." I felt my mouth drop at his words. Hastily, I took it off, throwing it on the ground.

"Take. It." I spat the words out, turning back around. But his hand was still on my arm.

"Gladly." He pushed me away from him. I grabbed a pole, regaining my balance. I reached into my pocket, pulling out my phone. I turned it on, waiting. I heard Michael's car drive away, and sighed. That was not how I planned on the night going.

_(Tony's POV)_

My stomach jumped as I did my homework, my mind wandering to other places. I had a funny feeling, like something was happening. Looking at my phone, I sighed. Ziva had turned her phone off when she went into the movie. She obviously was trying to keep herself sane. I smiled as I picked up the pictures that had once been on my binder. Ziva and I had taken them off after her father's decision. I felt my blood boil, just thinking about the bastard.

_Buzz._

I looked over at my phone, picking it up. I smiled, answering.

"Zee-vah?" I asked, and she sighed on the other end. I could hear the wind rushing past the mouth piece.

"Tony, are you dressed?" I stopped, smiling.

"Yes. Are you?" I felt a little bitter, hoping I didn't get the answer I dreaded. She laughed though, always a good sign.

"Tony, this is not the time for games. I need you to come pick me up." She said, and I stopped.

"Where's Micheal?" I could only hear the wind. "Ziva?" I asked. She sighed.

"We... we kind of got into an argument, and he took back his jacket and drove off." She said, and I heard her teeth chattering. It may have still been summer, but the nights were as cold as winter. I was a little angry.

"Where are you?" I asked, getting up and grabbing my keys. I pulled on my shoes, walking down the stairs. My mom looked at me.

"Right near the 7/11." She said.

"Okay, stay warm. I'll be there in a sec." I shut my phone, grabbing my jacket, and my sweat shirt.

"Tony, where do you think you're going?" My mom asked. I turned, in a hurry.

"Mom, Ziva needs help. Micheal and her got into a fight, and he left here out front of 7/11, without a jacket." I said, and my mom nodded.

"Good boy." She said, watching me leave. I jumped in my car, turning it on. I pulled out of the driveway, heading to the 7/11. I could feel my blood boiling, angry as hell. What kind of ass would leave a girl, stranded, neat a 7/11 without a jacket at night? It was wrong, jerk like. I gripped the steering wheel, finding it hard to think straight. I would feel much better with Ziva, safe in my car.

_Or arms._ I thought to myself, but I moved it to the back of my mind. I waited for a red light to go green, speeding off as it did. I slowed down as I got closer to the 7/11, and saw Ziva. She was standing next to a road sign, the wind blowing her curly hair all over the place. I pulled up next to her, and she smiled at me.

Opening the door, she jumped in. She was shivering, and her face was angry.

"Hey." I said, handing her my sweatshirt. She pulled it over her head, pulling her hair out. I pulled away from the curb, deciding to take the long way home.

"It gets cold, fast." She declared, and I smiled.

"It's just a part of America." I teased. She looked at me, and smiled. Leaning over, she kissed my cheek.

"Thanks for coming Tony." I grabbed her free hand, squeezing it. She squeezed it back, sitting back in her seat. She pulled her knees to her chest, smiling.

"I think I crossed the line." She said, and I looked at her.

"What do you mean?" I said, hoping she wasn't actually falling for him.

"Well, I told him that I was going to make his life miserable, and that I basically wasn't going to even try to like him. I think it hurt him, and that was why he took his jacket away." She said, as though she had given this deep thought. I nodded, knowing what she meant.

"Was it how you felt?" I asked, my eyes staying on the road. She turned to look at me.

"Of course it was, and is. Tony, you know how I feel. I just…. I think I may have hurt him more than needed." She whispered the last part. I looked over at her, waiting for the red light to change. She stared back, the red light illuminating her face. I sighed.

"Ziva, let me tell you something about guys. We like instant gratification. To know the fact that we have won, or got what we set out to achieve. We want to know that we did something, and that it had an effect. No matter how short it lasted. And, that was probably what Micheal meant to do when he took away his jacket, and left you. He wanted you to be hurt, helpless. But he'll get over it. It's no big deal. Guys heal fast over silly stuff like that. It would all be a different story if you had been dating long enough to develop deep feelings. Then he may be hurt. But not when he's only known you for like a month. He'll get over it." I pushed on the gas pedal, moving the car forward again. Ziva sat there, thinking for a while. We were almost home when she finally spoke.

"I may not like him, but I still think he is a nice guy. He's put up with a lot. I...I just don't like him that way." I nodded, grinning at her. She smiled. "I just can't break up with him though. My dad would probably bring me home." I felt my grin fade, and she reached over and touched my face.

"He would have to break up with you." I said, and she nodded. I sighed, knowing it would take a lot for that to happen. I parked out in between Ziva's and my own house. She unbuckled herself and crawled over to me. She wrapped her arms around me, and I smiled.

"It's going to work out." Ziva said.

"How do you know?" I asked, looking into her eyes. She smiled.

"Abby said so. And I trust Abby." She said. I smiled.

"I think it's time you get inside." I said, and she sighed. I got out and walked to her door. I opened it and she stood up, my sweatshirt huge on her. But she still looked amazing. I grabbed her hand quickly, smiling. I let go, and she walked up to the front door. I followed, shutting her door. I locked the car, and jumped up the front steps. Ziva walked inside, pulling me along with her.

"Ziva, it's kind of late." Gibbs said from the living room. We walked in, and Gibbs looked kind of confused. I was glad we had dropped hands.

"You ditch Micheal for DiNozzo over here?" He asked, and Jenny smiled at us. She sat down next to her husband, taking his hand. He grabbed his coffee, taking a drink.

"No, Micheal and I got into a little argument, and he drove off without me. So I called Tony. He picked me up." Ziva said, sitting down on the chair. I sunk to the ground, feeling Gibb's eyes on me.

"That's nice Tony." Jenny said, stomping on her husband's foot. I hadn't seen Gibbs do anything. Just showing how connected they were. Ziva looked down at me.

"It really was." She said, and I smiled.

"Well, Ziva you need to get to bed. It's getting late, and there is school tomorrow." I nodded, getting up myself. Ziva looked at me, and I smiled. I walked to the door, and found her following. She turned me around, hugging me.

"Good night Tony." She stood up on her tip toes, kissing my cheek. I smiled at her, kissing her forehead.

"Night my little ninja." I whispered before walking out the door.

_(Abby's POV)_

I sat in my bed, waiting for Ziva to walk up the stairs. I heard her come in, and I heard Tony. I knew what had happened, and was ready to ask her all about it. I heard Gibbs and Jenny talking, and heard Ziva creep up the stairs. I walked over to the door, opening it just as she walked by. She jumped, only to yell out as I pulled her into my room.

"Abby, what are you doing?" Ziva plopped down on my bed, and I sat next to her. I noticed that she was wearing Tony's sweatshirt, but didn't comment.

"I want to know everything." I gushed, almost falling off my bed. Ziva caught me, laughing at me. I started to bounce again.

"Okay, Abby calm down. Just, calm down." She said, pushing down on my shoulders, forcing me to stop bouncing. She smiled, and I giggled.

"Just tell me!!" I kept my voice down, hearing my parents down stairs talking.

"Okay, but no loud noises." I giggled, ready for it. Ziva told me everything, not leaving out a single detail. When she got to the end, I squealed. But Ziva was glaring at me, and it was cut short.

"Abby, this is bad." She said. I sighed heavily; she was always a pessimist. I played along.

"Why is it bad?" I asked, and Ziva groaned.

"He's going to tell my dad what I said. My dad will take me back." Ziva said, her eyes looking fearful.

"He will NOT do that! He can't. I think at least." Ziva stared at me, and I shrugged.

"I don't know these things. But I don't think he can do that!" I got up, now a little peeved. What if he did do it?

"Girls, time for bed." Jenny said, opening the door.

"Okay mom." I said, pushing Ziva up off my bed. She still looked scared, but covered it up when she saw Jenny.

"Good night." Ziva said, slipping into her room and shutting the door. Gibbs stared at the shut door, shaking his head.

"Eli's got her angry, doesn't he?" I nodded, and Gibbs sighed.

"I don't like that man much." Jenny whispered, looking at her husband. I smiled as my parents fingers interlocked.

"No one in this neighborhood does." Gibbs said, kissing my cheek.

"Good night Abs." He said before pulling Jenny into their bedroom. I smiled again before closing my door. I slipped into my bed, a feeling of warmth going over my body. It was good to see my parents like that. Although, Ziva I was worried about.

**--**

"Timmy, get your but in here!" I yelled, pulling Tim into my house. He nodded at Gibbs as we walked past the kitchen, up to my room. I shut the door and turned to him.

"Do you know what happened last night?" I asked him, and he shook his head.

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me." He was right, as always.

"Ziva and Micheal got into a fight, and Micheal left her at 7/11. She had no jacket, no weapons, and she called Tony to come pick her up. Which he did, of course. But, they got into a fight!" I squealed again, finding this amazing.

"Um, Abby. Why are you happy they got into a fight?" Tim asked, and I stared at him.

"Don't tell me you actually like the fact that Ziva is dating a guy who is all wrong for her?" I looked at him, giving him my best evil stare. He cringed.

"No, I just…. Just thought that maybe it would be bad." I threw my hand up in frustration.

"Are you KIDDING me Timmy? Why would them getting into a fight be bad?!" I yelled.

"Well, because Micheals' a guy and guys get over stuff like that fast. He's probably already forgotten about it." Timmy said in a matter of fact tone of voice. I nodded, knowing that once again he was right.

"But, BUT!" I said, moving around him to grab my book bag. "This does make him look bad." I said, before pulling Tim out the door to go to school.

**--**

_(Tony's POV)_

We sat in silence, the only sound the car. The previous night's events were still on our minds, and I was sure she was thinking about the conversation we had had after our kiss.

I felt my heart jump at the thought of it. It was perfect, spectacular. I looked over at her, to find her eyes trained on me. She smiled, and looked away. I could see the blush.

Today, her hair was yet again curly. I loved it, and we both knew that Micheal liked her hair straight. It was a win for both of us. Today was a "B" day, meaning I was driving her home. I felt another satisfactory wave rush over me as I thought about getting to be with her in every class, all day. Micheal and her had no classes together; he only got to see her at lunch and after school on "A" days. I thought about doing a victory dance in my seat, but decided not to as I pulled up to school. Abby was already there with McGee, parked right next to where I parked. I parked the car, getting out. Ziva stood up, brushing off her pants.

"Hey Ziva." McGee said, and she smiled at him.

"Morning McGee." I watched as she pulled out her phone, shutting it immediately.

"Ignoring someone this morning?" I asked, and she smirked at me.

"Possibly." She said, walking away. I watched her go, waiting. She turned, and I smiled.

"Are you coming?" She asked. I nodded, hugging Abby before running to catch up with her. As we walked, our steps matched. We walked in sync, together.

"Tony!" I cringed. I didn't turn, but I did stop. She walked up next to me, her face bright and shining.

"Hello Jeanne." I said, wondering what she could have wanted now. But she didn't say anything to me. No, she turned to the Israeli next to me.

"Ziva, I was wondering if I could talk to you." She said, and Ziva paused. She was in the middle of typing a text on her phone, and she nearly dropped it. She nodded, swallowing hard. I watched them disappear, confused all to hell.

**--**

Ziva walked into the gym, with 15 seconds to spare. She got to her spot on the floor, right next to mine. The bell rang, and morning announcements began. I looked over at her, and she smiled at me. I didn't understand. What could Jeanne possibly want to talk to Ziva about, besides me! It was driving me insane, and when our teacher let us loose to get changed, I asked.

"What did Jeanne want?" I said casually, and Ziva smirked.

"You'll see." She said. I sighed.

"Come on. She barely knows you, and when she did meet you I could feel the daggers being shot. What did she say?" I asked again, but Ziva shook her head.

"I said, you'll see. Trust me, you will not be disappointed." She said before slipping into the girl's locker room. I walked into the guy's locker room, walking over to my locker. I opened it up, putting my binder inside. I got changed fast, walking out with the rest of the guys. They were talking about the upcoming dance this weekend.

"I heard its Sadie Hawkins." Craig said. Hank and Leo laughed, both finding it amusing. They only found it amusing because no girl ever asked them.

"That's lame. Besides, you always end up with another girl by the time the dance is over." Hank said, and Leo nodded. I shook my head, and Craig shook his.

"You guys are so immature." I said, and Craig nodded in agreement.

"Why are they having a dance?" Leo asked.

"Back to school kind of thing." Craig answered. He was in ASB, and he knew everything that was happening as far as dances and cool stuff at lunch went.

"Lamer." Hank said, and I shook my head again. I walked into the gym, finding half the class there. Ziva was sitting with another girl, and it looked as if they were gossiping. I smiled, grabbing a basket ball and shooting a few hoops with Craig. Soon, it was a game, and all the guys were playing. Most of the girls sat on the bleachers, cheering us on.

"Hey! That's enough." Phil, our teacher, said. We dropped the ball, and it bounced back into the bin. Phil laughed, pointing to the track behind him.

"Three laps; Go!" Everyone groaned, getting up and heading out to the track. I caught up with Ziva as everyone walked through the gates that lead to the track.

"So, you're really not going to tell me?" I asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Tony, you will find out soon enough." She said before starting to jog. I joined her, keeping up with her brisk pace. We didn't talk, seeing as most of our energy was spent running. On the third lap, we slowed as we reached the finish mark, a huge water stain on the track. It was from the water fountain that had a leak. The leak had led to a constant flow of water down one part of the track, making the starting line for everything. Every teacher called it the water line, and that was where every lap started, and where you finished.

"What is a Sadie Hawkins Dance, exactly?" Ziva asked me, getting a drink of water. We were the first done, everyone a lap behind us. I leaned against the fence, thinking.

"It's a dance, but instead of the guys asking the girls, like it usually is, the girls have to ask a guy to the dance. It's kind of interesting." I explained, and she nodded. We walked out across the track, heading back to the gym.

"So, it's the opposite of the regular dance?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yup. Why do you ask?" I looked at her, noticing the mischievous look in her eye.

"Just wondering." She said, before jumping up on my back. I laughed, grabbing her legs and carrying her across the field. I heard someone wolf whistle, and I glared at Craig. He kept running, completing his three laps.

"The dance is this weekend, right?" She kept asking questions, and I was still confused.

"Yes. Why is this all so important?" I asked her, looking at her hair falling over my shoulder. It looked so soft.

"Like I said, trust me on this. You're going to like this." She said before we walked into the gym.

* * *

**I bet none of you can guess what Jeanne said to Ziva. I bet you guys have no clue. No clue what so ever. Haha, I decided to make Jeanne nice in this story for OutCold. Now, I know I've said this before, but reveiws would be nice. :) I'm sick of school, and sitting at home I might even start chapter 8 to post like, tomorrow. Tomorrow is a short day, and I'lll be home early. :) So, reveiws pwease. And don't forget to add your favorite line. :)**

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	8. Chapter 8: September

For once in my life, I'm speechless. :) You guys who are reveiwing, thank you. I'm up to 100 of them. :) Now, I was going to post this last night, but I got reallly tired and my brain totally shut down. I got a massive head ache and went to bed. I woke up ready for three hours of P.E today. We are on Star Testing scheduele. :(

A side note: Some of you got really close to what Jeanne was planning on doing. But, I have to let you guys know that Jeanne doesn't like Micheal. She.... Well, read. Haha. Another note: The song in this chapter is probably one of the coolest songs ever. Get it off iTunes for free. It's so amazing. "I like you so much better when you're naked" Ida Maria. XD

_I'm starting to like asking you guys for your favorite lines. Keep sending them. If I know what you like, I can put more of it. :)  
_  
**Disclaimer: I got an icecream at lunch today.**

Chapter Eight: Dinner, Dance, Distraction.

* * *

Ziva walked out of English, laughing at me. I smiled, pulling her out of the flow of the crowd. We walked towards the student parking lot, avoiding any place that Micheal might be.

"Are you going to the dance on Saturday?" She asked, looking up at me. I shrugged.

"If someone asks. Otherwise I'm just going to stay home." I said, feeling sad at the thought. She nodded, and we walked in silence. Ziva looked at her phone, opening it. She smiled, turning to me.

"I'll meet you at the parking lot, kay?" She said before turning around and disappearing into the crowd. I was about to protest, but stopped myself. Instead, I walked to my car.

_(Ziva's POV)_

I walked down the halls, weaving my way to my locker. I looked down at my phone, ignoring the text Micheal sent me. I stopped at my locker, waiting. I felt bad for not telling Tony what was going on, but I knew he would be glad I had kept it from him.

"Ziva!" Jeanne said from behind me, and I turned. I smiled at her. She knew that I didn't like hugging.

"You haven't told Tony right?" She asked, and I nodded.

"He doesn't know a thing." I promised, and I opened my locker. Jeanne waited, and after I grabbed my stuff we walked away.

"How did you know about all of this?" I asked, looking her in the eyes. She shrugged.

"I pay attention." She said. I laughed.

"You're watching us?" I asked. She shrugged.

"No, I just hear a lot." I nodded, getting what she meant.

"Do you really want to do this? I mean, you don't have to." I said, and she stopped walking.

"I'm going to be honest with you. I like what you and Tony have. I think it's cute, and that it's right. Micheal just happens to be in the way." She said. I smiled at her, feeling really happy.

"Thanks you Jeanne. I mean it." I said, offering a smile. She smiled back, patting my shoulder.

"And I care. You're nice." She said before walking towards her own car. I moved through the parking lot, feeling the heat of the parking lot on my feet. Even through my shoes. I found Tony, already waiting for me. I walked up to him, smiling.

"Ready?" He asked, and I nodded. I got in the car, putting on my seat belt. Tony started the car, and we pulled out of the parking lot.

"What did Jeanne want, again?" Tony asked. I shook my head.

"I… I'll tell you tomorrow." I said, trying to think of the right time to tell him. Tomorrow was Friday, and he needed to know so he had time to get ready. I nodded, knowing I was doing it right.

"I better. I'm getting pretty nervous." He said, and I laughed.

"Don't worry. It's going to be just right." I opened my phone, looking at the text from Micheal.

_I'm sorry about last night. Join me for dinner tonight?_

I sighed; glad to have a real reason to not join him.

_Can't. I have a family dinner._

I shut my phone, looking at Tony.

"Hey Tony?" I said, and Tony looked at me.

"What?" he asked.

"Want to come to my house tonight? We're having a barbeque." I said, and Tony nodded.

"Sure. I'll ask my mom to come too." He said. I smiled again.

--

Gibbs was out back with Jenny, grilling the meat. Abby was in the backyard too, but her and McGee were jumping on the trampoline. I was sitting in the kitchen, making salad with Tony. Abby had refused to eat anything but a salad, so we were chosen to make it.

Tony was wearing a dress shirt, something I had never seen him in before. It was a light blue, a color that suited him.

"Hand me the knife?" He asked, and I handed it to him. We kept making the salad, my phone going off. I sighed, looking at it where it was sitting next to Tony's.

_New TXT message: Micheal_

I rolled my eyes, picking up my phone.

_How is the dinner going?_

I pressed respond, using the regular number pad to answer.

_I'm making Abby's salad right now._

Tony was looking over my shoulder, smirking.

"The boyfriend worrying?" he joked and I stomped on his foot.

"OW!" He yelled, glaring at me. I smiled, putting the lettuce in the bowl. He dropped in the vegetables, and we were done.

"Come on, let's go jump on the trampoline." He said, pulling me out of the kitchen. I grabbed my phone, slipping it in my pocket.

Gibbs had been persuaded by Abby and me to buy a trampoline after we went to the store and saw one. He had given in, and set it up himself. I kicked off my shoes, jumping up next to Abby. McGee was sitting off to the side on the grass, drinking water.

"Tired McGee?" Tony teased, and Gibbs smacked his head.

"No, he got off so you guys could get on." I laughed, smiling at Gibbs. Abby pulled me up, bouncing up into the air. Tony joined us, going higher than we could. I glared at him, my hair getting in my face. He stopped jumping, standing on the rocky surface.

"I love this thing!" Abby said, bouncing up into the air. Jenny was laughing from the lawn chair she occupied.

"You look so cute Abs." She said, and I laughed. Abby did look cute, bouncing up into the air. Her hair was all over the place, and her arms were flailing about. I jumped up, reaching her height. I came down next to Tony, and he bounced up from my landing.

"Let's see who can go the highest!" Abby said, bouncing up into the air. Tony bounded up next to her, and their leaps caused me to bounce up and down.

"Come on Ziva. Jump!" Abby yelled, grabbing my hand. Tony grabbed my other, and suddenly I was up in the air. I laughed, looking at Tony. He smiled at me, pulling me back up into the air.

"Dinner!" Gibbs yelled, and we all stopped bouncing. Tony jumped down, reaching up to help Abby down. He set her down on the ground, and then helped me down. His hands lingered a little longer on my waist before he let go, and we looked at each other. I smiled, grabbing my shoes and moving to the patio. I sat down at the table, right next to Tony. Gibbs and Jenny were across from us, and a little to the right; their hands entwined. Tony's mom was sitting next to Abby, who was across from McGee. The table was made to seat 12, and there were only 7 of us. We were all spread out, at least one seat between us. Gibbs handed Tony the plate of meat, and Tony picked his piece of meat. He passed the plate past me, down to McGee. I looked at him, and he shushed me.

"We'll share." He said, and I smirked.

"Are you sure you won't eat it all?" I said, and he grinned. My phone went off again, and I looked at it.

_New TXT message: Micheal_

_I thought it was a barbeque ?_

I didn't bother to answer, instead putting my phone off to the side. Tony cut the steak in half, putting half on my plate. McGee passed me the bowl of rolls and then the noodles.

"This looks really good guys." Abby said, looking down at me and Tony. I nodded, and Tony grinned.

"Only the best for our little Abs." Tony said. Everyone started eating, and soon the talking began. Jenny and Tony's mom talked, while Gibbs, Abby and McGee had a conversation about technology. I looked up at Tony, to see him chewing his steak.

"Rough?" I asked, and Tony smirked.

"Tough, Ziva. Tough meat." He nodded.

"So, are you going to tell me now?" I forgot what he was talking about for a second, and then it hit me. I swallowed, grabbing my phone.

"Well, Jeanne had this idea." I said, and Tony raised an eyebrow. I went on. "A way to get Micheal to leave." His eyes opened wider, and suddenly he was serious.

"Tell me the details." He said, grabbing a piece of bread and chewing on it.

"Well, she thought that maybe at the dance, she could get him away from me. Somehow distract him long enough and maybe keep him distracted. You know..." I trailed off, looking at him. He nodded, getting what I meant.

"You want to con him? This is good. I didn't know Jeanne could do this." He said, looking at me. I nodded, grabbing some of his bread. He glared at me as I ate it, a slight smile on his face.

"Yeah, I was kind of surprised. But, she kind of wants to help me out. She's heard a lot of talk, gossip." I said, and Tony chewed on his steak.

"Of course." He said.

"Of course what, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, looking over at us. We both froze, and then I smiled.

"Nothing, Gibbs." He said, and we went back to eating.

"Sure."

--

I looked at myself in the mirror again, smiling. I was perfect for Tony, completely wrong for Micheal. Abby walked in, smiling at me.

"I know someone who is going to love this." Abby said, kissing my cheek. We walked down the stairs, pushing each other. When we got to the bottom, I found Micheal waiting in the kitchen. I looked at Abby, who pushed me out into the kitchen. Micheal got up, a single flower in his hand. He smiled at me, and handed me the flower.

"I got this for you." He said, and I almost gagged at how cliché and obvious that was. I took it though, smiling at him.

"Thank you." He smiled, taking my hand. He pulled me out the door, down to his car. I stopped for a second, waiting. He turned to look at me.

"What?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I forgot my jacket. Don't want to end up jacketless again." I said, turning to go back inside. He grabbed my hand though, making me turn to look at him.

"I have a jacket you could use. If you don't want to be a bitch." He said, and I scoffed.

"I'll go get mine." I said, letting go of his hand completely and walking inside. I looked at the coat rack, thinking. I saw a sweatshirt and smiled. I grabbed it, walking back outside. Micheal looked at the sweatshirt, tilting his head.

"That isn't yours." He said, and I nodded.

"Are you spying on me? Going through my clothes?" I spat, getting into his car. He shook his head.

"It doesn't smell like you." He said, and I stopped.

"You know what I smell like?" I asked, staring at him. He glared at me.

"I know you don't wear Old Spice." He said.

"Oh." I said, holding the sweat shirt to my chest. Micheal sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Listen, I'm sorry about the other night. I was…. I was just being touchy." He said. I nodded, looking out the window. "Did you get home alright?" He asked, and I nodded again.

"Tony picked me up." I said. I could feel the stiffness in his back without being near him.

"He got you at 10 o'clock?" Micheal asked. I turned to look at him.

"That's what a best friend does." I said coldly, turning back to the window. He sighed, reaching over to take my hand.

"Look, I said I'm sorry alright? I didn't mean to make you angry, or upset. I was angry and a little jealous." I turned to look at him.

"Jealous? Of who?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"Who do you think?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Tony." I said, looking back out the window.

"Yes, him." He said bitterly. I took the bait.

"Why are you jealous of him?" I asked, looking over at him. He didn't answer for a minute.

"You like him. Unlike me, you'll laugh around him, and you aren't laughing at him. You aren't all mean and bitchy, and you just seem to be happier." He finished, keeping his eyes on the wheel. I nodded, knowing what he meant.

"Maybe that's because I actually like him." I said, trying to keep my face blank. He pulled up to the school, parking.

"That's why I'm jealous." He whispered before he got out.

--

I looked around the dance floor, searching for Jeanne. She had texted me to tell me she had arrived, and where to wait. I smiled as a guy walked by, checking me out. My phone went off, and I looked the text.

_Is Jeanne here yet?_

I smiled, texting Tony back. I shut my phone, looking up to see Jeanne.

"Hey Ziva." She said, and I smiled at her. Her dress was a pretty white, and it stood out in the lights of the dance floor.

"Ready Jeanne?" I asked, and she nodded. I pointed to where Micheal was, talking to some kids he knew. Jeanne nodded, walking away. I smiled, knowing that he had already been given punch. He was wasted.

I found Tony fast, and we walked around the dance floor, finding the perfect place to watch. I felt Tony's arm around my waist, and smiled. Jeanne walked up to Micheal, and his eyes went to her chest. Something told me that he wasn't thinking straight at all. She pulled him out onto the dance floor, and they started dancing. I smiled, looking at Tony.

"I think he's distracted." I said before pulling Tony out onto the dance floor, grabbing him by his tie. He grinned at me, twirling me around to the music. The song ended, and a new one began. It was faster, and reminded me of a cartoon.

_Oh the clever  
things I should say to you  
They got stuck somewhere  
Stuck between me and you  
Oh I'm nervous  
I don't know what to do  
Light a cigarette  
I only smoke when I'm with you_

_(WOOoo)  
What the hell do I do this for?(WOOoo)  
You're just another guy(WOOoo)  
OK, you're kind of sexy  
But you're not really special_

But I won't mind  
If you take me home  
Come on, take me home  
I won't mind  
if you take off all your clothes  
Come on, take them off

I danced around Tony, smiling at the lyrics. He pulled me back to him, and spun me around again.

_'Cuz I like you so much better when you're naked  
I like me so much better when you're naked  
I like you so much better when you're naked  
I like me so much better when you're naked. Yeah!  
(Wow!!!!)_

I laughed at the lyrics, and Tony smirked.

"Like the song?" He asked, spinning around again. I laughed, pulling him to me.

"The lyrics are quite true." I said, making Tony gape at me. I pushed him away, walking off the floor. He followed me, his arms around my waist.

"You're naughty." He said. I laughed, walking over to the drink table. I paid for water, and the girl smiled at me. I walked away, and was suddenly pushed back as a girl stormed past me. Tony caught me, but I followed the girl out the door. She was standing against the wall, obviously fuming. I walked over carefully, Tony's hand slipping into mine.

"Excuse me? Are you alight?" I asked, and she looked at me. Her anger faded from her eyes as she remembered pushing me.

"I'm sorry. I… I'm just a little upset." She said, looking as if she could sink to the ground. I walked over next to her.

"I haven't seen you around. Are you new?" Tony asked, and she nodded.

"Well, not new. But I've been here for like, a month. But I've lived here my whole life. Home Schooled." She said, and I smiled at her.

"Well, I'm Ziva David." I said. I offered my hand, and she took it.

"Kate Todd."

* * *

OOOOO! It's KATE! Haha. I was thinking about the perfect way to add her in. And I thought, this would be pretty good. Next chapter will be the rest of the dance, and possibly some Ziva and Micheal fighting. Oh, I love writing fights. Anyway, reveiws? Haha. I'm writing the next chapter already.

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	9. Chapter 9: September

It is about 2 AM here on the west coast of America, and I need to go to bed. But, I had to finish this. It was just too much fun. Toooo much. I'm.... a little out of it. Haha.

_Espically now, send me your most favoritest lines, descriptions, quotations. This chapter was fun._

**Disclaimer: I neeeeeeeeeeddd sleeeepppp.**

Chapter Nine: Aftermath.

* * *

I followed Ziva and Kate out of Burger King, their laughter filling the evening air. I smiled as they laughed about something else, cold soda's in their hands. I unlocked my car, and we all got in. Ziva looked at me, buckling her seat belt.

"Abby says that Jeanne and Micheal are looking pretty cozy." She said, her smile shining. I smiled back, and Kate looked at us.

"Who are Jeanne and Micheal?" She looked back and forth between us.

"Well, Jeanne is an old friend of mine, you could say." I said.

"And Micheal……. is my boyfriend." Ziva said with a lot of bitter. Kate seemed shocked, and even more confused.

"You guys aren't going out?" She asked. I felt jealousy wash over me, and Kate seemed to sense it. She stopped. I drove the car, knowing where to go to drop off Kate.

"So, why are they getting cozy?" Kate asked. Ziva turned to look at her, and I knew that a long explanation was coming.

"Well, you see." Ziva started. I drove slower, and we were sitting out front Kate's house by the time Ziva was done. Kate's dad walked outside, and Kate smiled at him.

"Hold on Dad." She said, turning back to us.

"Thank you guys, again. It meant a lot to me, really." Kate said. Ziva smiled, patting her shoulder. I grinned, and Kate got out of the car. She waved at us before heading up into her house. I pulled away; glad to be alone with Ziva again. Not that Kate was a bad thing. She was great. I just wanted to be with Ziva.

I grabbed her hand, squeezing it. She squeezed back, looking at me.

"I had a really fun time." She whispered. I looked at her face, illuminated by street lights.

"I bet you did." I joked, and she smirked at me.

"Micheal did too." She said. I pulled up out front of her house, seeing the lights on inside. I shut off the car, looking at Ziva. She looked tired, her eyes half closed. I reached up and stroked her cheek softly. She shut her eyes, her head falling into my hand. I caught her, unbuckling her seat belt. I let her fall gently before getting out of the car and going around to her side. I picked her up, carrying her up the front steps. Gibbs opened the door for me, moving out of the way as I carried Ziva inside.

"Long night?" Gibbs joked. I rolled my eyes, heading up the stairs. Jenny was already in Ziva's room, and had pulled back the blankets. I laid her down, smiling as she snuggled into her bed. I took off her shoes, my breath hitching as I touched her legs.

Pulling the blanket over her, I kissed her hair. She smiled in her sleep.

"Good night Tony." She mumbled. I smiled wide, shutting off her light when I left her room.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I rolled over, looking at the ceiling. I tried to move my legs, but my dress prevented it. I sat up, pulling my dress back into place. I looked at my clock, groaning as I saw the time. I feel back on my bed, shutting my eyes again. I fell back asleep, waking up an hour later. This time I got up; unzipping my dress I took it off. I pulled my hair up and pulled on my sweats. I walked down the stairs, yawning. Jenny was in the kitchen, and she handed me a cup of tea. I smiled, taking a sip. It was warm and soothed my throat.

"How was the dance?" She asked, looking at me as she washed the dishes.

"It was fun. I met this girl, Kate Todd, and Tony took us to Burger King. She's really nice." I said, not hearing myself talk. I was tired, and I wanted to go lie down on the couch and watch T.V.

"Sounds like fun. Did Micheal have fun?" She asked, and I coughed. I had completely forgotten about him.

"He had fun, I guess." I said. Jenny smirked at me.

"You didn't say he joined you guys. Where was he?" Jenny asked. I looked up, grimacing. She smirked at me again, and groaned.

"We…. we kind of……. stitched him." I said. Jenny looked at me.

"You mean ditch right?" Jenny asked. I nodded, rubbing my head. I was so tired.

"I'm going to go watch T.V." I got up, walking into the living room. I laid down on the couch, picking up the remote. I scanned the channels, dropping my head onto a pillow. I could hear Abby and Gibbs talking in the study.

"Please daddy? I really want a dog!" She begged. I knew she wanted a German shepherd; she had been talking about getting one for months. Gibbs didn't want a dog, at least not right now.

"Abby, I know you want a dog. But I'm not sure, okay?"

"Dad! A dog could be amazing, fun, and cute!"

"No Abby. Let me look, okay. Not right now."

Abby came out of the study, her arms crossed. I smiled at her, and she sat on the floor in front of me.

"I want a dog." She said again. I nodded. We sat in a comfortable silence. The phone rang, and Jenny answered it.

"Yeah, she's right here." Jenny said, slipping into the living room. She handed me the phone, mouthing 'Micheal'.

I grabbed the phone from her, putting it to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked, and I heard his heavy breathing.

"You left me, drunk, with some slut." He said. I winced at the last part, knowing that Jeanne wasn't a slut.

"And?" I answered coldly. He coughed, and I could hear him walking.

"You LEFT ME!! I had to call a taxi to get home." He yelled. I sat up, holding my head.

"Listen, I left you because you got DRUNK. You looked at that "slut" and went with here, wherever that might be. So don't blame me for leaving with Tony and Kate." I said, before hanging up. Jenny looked at me, her face concerned.

"He got drunk? How?" Abby answered for me.

"Mom, its common knowledge that the punch is always spiked at dances." Abby said matter-of-factly. Jenny nodded, as if she really wanted to know this.

"And he drank the punch?" Jenny looked at us.

"About 15 cups." I said, looking down at Abby. Abby sniggered, covering her face. Gibbs walked out, looking at us.

"And you left him, drunk?" He questioned. I nodded.

"What was I going to do? Try to deal with him drunk? He could barely contain himself around Jeanne; imagine what he would have done when he saw me?" I said, getting up. Gibbs glared at me.

"Do you know how angry your dad is going to be?" Gibbs spat at me. I glared back.

"Yes, I know. But what is he going to do, take me home?" I sneered. Gibbs didn't move, staring me down.

"He could." Gibbs said before walking away. I sat back down as soon as he left, and Abby looked up at me.

"He won't, don't worry Ziva." Abby said. I dropped my head in my hands, feeling like crap. Lying back down, I turned over and buried my face in the cushions. Someone rubbed my back, their hand warm and soothing. I breathed, trying to calm myself.

"It's alright. Jethro didn't mean anything." Jenny whispered. I nodded, keeping my head down. I was afraid I would hit something.

"Go out today. Hang out with Tony. Have fun." Jenny offered. I looked up, sighing. She was right.

I took a shower, taking my time. I was still tired, my body aching from wearing heels. When I got out, I looked at myself in the mirror. I sighed, moving into my bed room. I got dressed quickly, pulling on my favorite pair of jeans and a plain green t-shirt. I pulled my wet hair up into a pony tail, and jumped down the stairs.

"Leaving?" Gibbs asked. I nodded, grabbing a water bottle. It was about two in the afternoon, and it was getting warm. I walked out the back door, jumping the fence into Tony's back yard. I knocked on the glass door and his mom smiled at me.

"He's still asleep." She said, and I nodded.

"Can I wake him up?" I asked. She nodded, letting me inside. I walked up the stairs, keeping quiet. Opening Tony's bedroom door, I slipped in. I was always surprised to see how clean it was. There weren't clothes everywhere, no food on the ground. His shoes were the only thing on the floor, but they were next to his bed. His hamper had clothes in it, and I saw the dress shirt he had worn last night.

I moved over to his bed, kneeling down next to it. I looked at his face, smiling at how cute he looked. I reached up, touching his hair. It was a mess, the gel he used wearing off. I had always loved his hair natural. He mumbled in his sleep, and I looked at his lips. They were moving as if he were talking.

I felt all warm, a funny feeling in my stomach. Butterflies? I placed my chin on his bed, closing my eyes. His breathing was methodic, soothing to listen to. I smiled as I found his hand, taking it. He coughed softly, and then his breathing went back to normal.

I could hear birds chirping, someone mowing their lawn, some kids playing in the street, and a dog barking. The sun kept shining, the heat getting hotter as the hottest time of day became closer. Someone yelled outside at a kid, telling them to get back inside. The kid protested, but went inside anyway. More laughter reached my ears, a girl screaming as she got sprayed with water. All of the sounds made me smile, and feel content. But when Tony started to mumble again, I found myself mesmerized. He was saying random things, and I heard my name about 10 times. He said Abby's and Micheals, but Micheals name was said with more hatred. I smiled at him, lifting my chin off the bed. I didn't want to wake him, not when he looked so perfect. But, it was getting later in the afternoon, and I wanted to do something.

"Tony?" I whispered in his ear. He kept mumbling, his breathing steady. I tried again.

"Tony?" I said again, keeping my voice soft. He made a slightly animalistic noise, making me smile. He stretched, his eyes still shut. I saw something childlike in the way he moved, and he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands. It was the one of the most heartwarming things I had ever seen. He opened his eyes, squinting.

"Ziva?" He whispered, looking up at me. I nodded. He reached out to me, wrapping his arm around my waist. He pulled me up onto his bed, snuggling me close to his chest. I felt my stomach flip, blushing. He was still sleepy, but he was awake enough to know what he was doing.

"Good…. Afternoon." He said, looking at his clock. I smiled, pushing myself up on my arms. I looked at his face, and he smiled.

"You're hair is wet." He observed, reaching up to touch it.

"Yeah, well I just got out of the shower." I said. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Slept in, did we?" I shrugged, sitting back on my butt. He sat up, and I saw he was wearing a white tank top. He shook his head, scratching his scalp.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked. I nodded. Everything was perfect until Micheal had called.

"How is Micheal?" Tony asked, as if he were reading my mind. I scowled at him, getting up and walking over to his desk. He sat up, looking at me. "What?" He asked.

"He's angry. Very angry. He was mad because we left him with a 'slut'." I said, putting air quotes around slut. Tony nodded, looking as if he could smile. He didn't though.

"What happened?"

"I hung up on him, and then Gibbs questioned what happened." I left out the last part, but Tony knew there was more.

"What else did Gibbs say?" He asked me softly. I rolled my eyes, wishing he didn't know me that well.

"He said that my dad would be pissed, and I asked what the worst thing he could do, take me home. Gibbs said he could." I said, and Tony walked over to me.

"He won't." He said before he hugged me. It was sincere, caring. I wrapped my arms around him, hoping his words were true.

--

_(Tony's POV)_

Ziva laughed as we walked through the mall, a small bag in her hand. We had spent most of our time goofing around, trying on clothes. Ziva didn't want to, but I had pulled her into it. We now were looking for some where to eat.

"I don't want pizza." Ziva said, and I looked at her.

"Please? I'm so craving one." I complained, and Ziva laughed.

"I don't want a pizza. Look, it's close to just head home for dinner." She said, pulling me away from the food court.

"But mommy!" I said sarcastically. She glared at me, and I pouted. She shook her head, taking my hand firmly and pulling me out into the sun. I noticed the strange looks we were getting and laughed. She looked at me.

"What is so funny?" She asked.

"People are giving us funny looks." I whispered in her ear as we made our way to my car. She turned around and then got into the car. I laughed at her as I slipped in, looking at her.

"Embarrassed?" I teased. She shook her head.

"No, Micheal."

I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Ziva kept her head facing forward, not bothering to look back. We drove in silence, our perfect day shattered. When we got back, Ziva was immediately in her room, obviously sulking. I sat in the living room, smiling when she walked back down the stairs. She sat next to me, typing on her phone.

"How was the mall?" Jenny asked. I shrugged, waiting.

"It was great, until the end." I looked at Ziva, but her head was still down. I leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Who are you texting?" I asked, and she shivered.

"Kate." Was her answer. I nodded, looking around. Abby was in with Gibbs, and it sounded like they were arguing about a dog.

"They've been arguing about that since this morning." Ziva said, reading my mind.

"Abby has always wanted a dog." I said. It was then that someone knocked at the door. Jenny jumped, getting up from her seat on the floor. Ziva looked up, her eyes wary. I knew what she was thinking, even though I had no clue how.

"Oh, hi Micheal." Jenny said, and Ziva stiffened. I grabbed her hand, and she looked at me. For once, I saw something close to fear in her eyes. But, then again, it could have been anger.

Her eyes moved to Micheal as he walked in, and I could feel the anger in her hand. She wanted to shoot him, and it was obvious. Micheal's eyes flashed to our hands, jealousy obvious in his eyes.

"Ziva, we need to talk. Now." He said, and I suddenly felt very protective over her. Ziva got up, walking out into the back yard. I was about to get up when Jenny stopped me, placing a hand on my shoulder. We listened closely though, my fists at my side. I knew that there were two ways this could end. Either they broke up and Ziva went home, or they didn't break up and stayed together. I wasn't praying for the ladder, even thought it meant that her dad wouldn't be pissed.

"Why did you leave?"

"You were DRUNK!"

"So what? All the more reason for you to stay."

"No, all the more reason for me to _leave_, Micheal."

"Why? I was drunk!"

"Exactly. You were drunk, and I didn't feel like dealing with you." Ziva spat, and I could hear her pacing. Most likely with her hands clamped behind her back.

"I needed you! Someone could have, and did, take advantage of me!"

"You let her! The second she walked up to you, your eyes were down her shirt. Already trying to get in her pants."

"I was intoxicated. Ever heard of it?"

"Yes, but you were the one stupid enough to _not_ know that the punch was spiked!" Ziva had stopped pacing. There were no footsteps.

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Everyone knows! Even I do!!"

Silence. I heard someone shift their weight, and then Micheal spoke.

"Let's get off the subject."

"Let's." Ziva moved, possibly towards the door, but Micheal stopped her.

"Who was that girl?"

"What, you didn't get her name?" I smiled and Gibbs smacked my head. I hadn't even noticed he was listening too. His arm was around his wife's shoulders though, her hand on his leg.

"No, I didn't get her name. At least, I don't remember."

"Ha! See, you were drunk. A girl comes on to you and because you are too drunk to do anything, you flirt back and end up here, trying to get me to apologize for something you think I did. But it's your fault you got drunk, your own fault you are here." Ziva spat.

"See, that is where you are wrong. You are the reason I came here, so you brought this on yourself."

"I would _never_ ask for you to come here. I would rather have an assassin, who could track me down and kill me if he thought I was even thinking about doing something, he didn't approve of. I would feel better then." Sarcasm dripped from her voice.

"I could make that happen."

"You wouldn't."

"Why's that?"

"Because, I can kill you 18 different ways with a paperclip, and one happens to be in my pocket."

"You wouldn't."

"Why not? My life would be so much easier."

"Ah, you would finally be able to be with DiNozzo."

Ziva stopped everything. Her breathing stopped, and so did her pacing. I couldn't even hear her heart.

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh, don't play dumb! You remember what I said the other day, and don't say you don't, because you do! You know what I am talking about!"

"Then why don't you listen to your gut, and let GO!" Ziva screamed at him. It was quiet, and I could hear Ziva's angry breathing.

"And what if I don't want to?!"

"You've got to be kidding me! Are you suicidal, Micheal?" Ziva sneered.

"No, no I'm not."

Micheal walked back inside, heading through the living room and out the front door. Before he left though, he turned back to Ziva. She was standing in the patio door, her hands on her hips.

"Bye, Ziva." He said. He walked out, leaving all of us silent. Ziva looked around at us.

"My dad is going to be furious." She said, her tone only partially light. I stood up, walking into the kitchen for some water. I found my throat was quite dry.

"Tony?" Ziva said, walking up behind me. I looked down at her, smiling.

"You were pretty cold out there." I pointed out, drinking my water. She shrugged.

"I do what I have to do." Was her response as she walked away. I swallowed hard, following her back into the living room.

--

Ziva and I were lying on her floor, waiting for the call from Israel. I was holding her hand again, but this time she wasn't tense or angry. Her eyes were shut, and she looked serene.

"Happy?" I asked. She nodded.

"Very, but I'm not looking forward to my dad's call." She stated. Her eyes stayed shut, her free hand finding its way into my hair. I shut my own eyes, feeling the comfortable silence. We didn't move for a while, the sun getting lower in the sky. After a while, Ziva's fingers had run a path through my hair. I opened my eyes to see her staring at my face.

"It's so soft." She whispered, and I smiled.

"Well, I try." I gave her a grin, and she grinned back.

The phone rang, and we both jumped. We waited, and then we heard the commotion.

"DiNozzo, Ziva! Get down here!" Gibbs yelled. Ziva looked at me, and shrugged.

"What's the worst he can do over the phone?"

* * *

Oh, how much fun the next chapter will be. So, it is time for me to go to bed. I'm so tired, I think my body is shutting down. My muscles don't seem to want to function, although my brain could go on for hours. Reveiws, tell me what you think. Oh, and Eli will be so much fun to write over the phone.

Gosh, my mom is going to send me to the insane assylum. She thought I went to bed hours ago. Oh well. :)

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	10. Chapter 10:September

So, I don't have much to say right now, other then enjoy. Give me your favorite line, as usual. I love getting them. It's like always a suprise.

**Disclaimer: I own a green, awesome pen.**

**Chapter Ten: Euphoria**

* * *

Even sitting all the way in the kitchen, with my head in my hands, I could hear Eli David screaming at his daughter. He was screaming so loud, I could have probably heard him if I went outside. He was also screaming in Hebrew, so I had no clue what was being said. Ziva was talking low, her voice staying calm. Jenny was looking at me, her eyes going over my face. I winced as Ziva's voice became angrier, and louder. Gibbs walked in to the kitchen, kissing his wife on the cheek.

"Sounds promising." Jenny smacked Gibbs's arm. He grinned at her, sitting down at the island.

"Not funny Jethro. She sounds upset." I knew Jenny was right. Ziva seemed to be getting angrier. Her voice got sharper, and finally it ended. I could still hear Eli talking, his voice barely a mummer to me. Ziva spat something back, and walked into the kitchen. She handed Gibbs the phone, sitting down next to me.

"Eli." Gibbs said, exiting the room. I looked at Ziva, but her face was impossible to read. She kept wringing her hand, constantly shifting. I reached over and placed my hand on her arm. She looked at me, her eyes wide. She sighed, letting her head fall to the table.

"He's coming here." She whispered. Jenny stiffened. She didn't like Eli either.

"What? When?" Jenny asked. I looked at Jenny, seeing the dislike.

"He's coming here, in like possibly 2 months." Ziva said against the table. I rubbed my thumb over skin, comforting her. She smiled but kept her head down. Gibbs walked back in to the kitchen, looking at us.

"He's coming in two months for business and is going to visit us for a week." Gibbs said as he sat down next to Jenny. Ziva groaned, looking up.

"How angry is he?" I asked. Gibbs shrugged.

"Well, I bet someone will die tonight." I laughed at what Gibbs said but stopped when he gave me a look. Ziva got up, walking up the stairs to her room. I looked after her, and then back at Jenny. She shrugged, looking at Gibbs. They started talking and I slipped away, up the stairs to Ziva's room. The door was shut, and I knocked. There was movement, and I heard her breathing up against the door.

"Ziva let me in." I said. I didn't hear anything, and tried again. "Ziva?" The door opened, and I slipped in. She was leaning up against the door, her eyes shut.

"He's going to mess up everything." She whispered into the semi-darkness. It was now late in the afternoon, and as fall approached the night came faster. Ziva sank to the ground, her eyes blank. I sat next to her, staring at the window straight across from her door. We didn't talk, just listened. The sounds from outside drifted inside. I looked over at Ziva. She was so serene, so calm. I smiled as I ran my fingers through her hair, the strands soft and curly. She looked at me, smiling.

"This isn't going to be fun, having him here." She said. I nodded, laying my head on her shoulder. She chuckled softly, grabbing my hand. We sat there like that, listening to the sounds from outside.

"McGee, you aren't doing it right! You aren't supposed to throw the ball like that." Abby's voice floated up from the driveway. She was trying to teach McGee to play basketball, and I could tell it was going badly.

"Then how am I supposed to throw it?" McGee said back. I heard the ball bounce on the cement, and the net swish.

"Like that." Abby said, and I heard McGee catch the ball. A dog barked, kids yelling as they ran down the street. I heard a bell ring, possibly on a kid's bike. Ziva shifted, her free hand finding my face. I playfully bit her fingers, and she looked at me. I smirked, and she smirked back.

"Let's go outside." She said, and we got up. I opened the door for her, and she slipped out into the hallway. I followed her, holding her hand. We slipped out the front door, and I saw Abby and McGee attempting to play basketball. Abby was winning, obviously, and McGee had given up. I walked over and grabbed the ball from Abby, sinking it into the basket. She glared at me, crossing her arms.

"Tony, that's not nice." She said, picking up the ball as it bounced up to her. She passed it to Ziva, who caught it gingerly. She tossed it up into the air, and it sunk into the net. McGee groaned.

"Everyone can play but me." He said. Ziva shrugged, keeping quiet. I could see she was still peeved about her dads call in the way she stood, with her arms crossed. Abby and McGee passed the ball back and forth, laughing as they dropped the ball or threw it too far. I grabbed Ziva's arm, pulling her down the street.

"Where are we going?" She asked, slipping her hand into mine.

"We are taking a walk." I said. She followed me down the street and out onto the main road in the housing development we lived in. Not many cars drove on this road, as it was out of the way for most. Most of the cars that drove through were people who lived here, and then some friends and repair men. We walked down a small hill, a dog behind a fence barking at us. We came to one of the playgrounds, and saw some kids playing on the swings. There was a small path that kids had beaten over the years that I led Ziva down, into the small grove of trees. There were ropes hanging from some trees, and I sat down on one of the low branches. Ziva sat down on the rope swing, swinging herself slightly.

"I didn't know this was back here." Ziva said, swinging her legs over the ground.

"Yeah, it's more of a place where druggies hang out." I picked up some empty bags, and Ziva nodded. We sat in silence, the wind picking up as the sun started to set.

"Spirit Week is this week." I said, suddenly remembering. Ziva looked up.

"What is Spirit Week?" She asked.

"It's just a week where there are different themed days, and you dress up. It's because the home coming game is coming up."

"Home coming game?" She looked at me, confused.

"It's the first football game that you have on your own field."

"Oh. I see." She said, getting up. She climbed up onto the branch I occupied, and sat next to me.

"Are you going to go to the game?" She asked. I nodded.

"Franks in it." I said. She nodded. The sky was getting even darker, so I jumped off the branch. Ziva landed quietly next to me, and we walked back up the path to the playground. All of the kids were gone, going home to do homework and take baths for school. We walked back up the road, and her hand found mine. I looked down at her and smiled. She smiled up at me, and wiggled her eye brows.

"Race you?" She said. I grinned.

"You're on."

_(Abby's POV)_

I threw the ball up into the basket again, grabbing it as it bounced back to me. I handed it to Tim, who bounced it a couple times, then missed his shot.

"Damn." He muttered, grabbing the ball as it bounced away. I smiled, walking over to the garage door and sitting down. Tim sat next to me, and we turned our heads when we heard laughter coming from the main road. I heard footsteps, pounding the sidewalk. Around the corner came Ziva, running as fast as she could, and right behind her was Tony. Ziva was laughing as she ran in front of Tony, and Tony grabbed her waist, spinning her around so he was in front of her. But, Ziva was smarter than that. She jumped the fence and made it to the driveway before Tony did. She jumped up in the air, celebrating her victory.

"You cheated!" Tony said, his hands on his knees. Ziva smirked.

"As did you." She said before going over and patting his back. She added a little unneeded force, because Tony coughed. He glared up at her, and I fought back laughter. Tim was, however, laughing his ass off. Tony glared at Tim, but it didn't stop his laughter.

"Shut it McGeek." Tony said, but Tim kept laughing. Ziva patted Tony on the head before sitting down next to me. Tony, noticing that there was no place for him to sit next to Ziva, reluctantly sat down next to Tim.

"Anyone else excited for Spirit Week?" I asked, and Ziva shrugged.

"I barely know what it is." She said. I looked at her.

"Don't worry Ziva. I will help you!" Ziva looked almost panicked. I smiled at her, giving her a hug. She didn't hug back, not like I expected her to, and then I looked at Tim and Tony.

"How about you guys?" I asked. Tim shook his head.

"I don't participate in Spirit Week." Tony laughed at Tim's statement.

"If there is a dressing like a nerd day, you will be." Tony laughed, and Tim glared at him.

"Hardy har har." Tim said sarcastically. Tony kept laughing.

"Well, I heard that the home room class that dresses up the best wins a prize!" I squealed, excited. Ziva looked at Tony, who shrugged.

"Like our class is going to dress up." Tony looked up as the front door opened, revealing Gibbs. He stared at us.

"McGee, your mom called. You need to get home. Tony, I'm pretty sure you should too." Gibbs said to us, and Tim instantly got up. Ziva got up, and pulled me up. I gave Tim a hug before he got into his car.

"See you tomorrow Timmy!" I said, walking back up to Ziva. Tony was walking up to his house, stealing a glance at Ziva before he entered.

"Come on girls. You guys need to do laundry and homework for school tomorrow." Gibbs said. I walked inside, Ziva right behind me. She followed me up into my room, where we sat down on my bed.

"What is the first day of Spirit Week?" Ziva asked, looking over my walls. I picked up the paper, reading them off.

"It goes: Jungle Day, 50's, Western, Class Colors, and then….. Ninja?" I looked down, not believing. Ziva laughed, obviously finding it funny.

"Ninja day? Oh, this will be funny." She said, as she crossed my room and exited. I grabbed some of my clothes and put them in my hamper, and pushed my hamper out into the hallway. Changing into my pajamas, I crawled into bed, falling asleep instantly.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I stood in front of the mirror, not believing my own eyes as to what Abby had dressed me in. I thought the leg warmers were a little overboard.

I was wearing a short, leopard printed dress. It stopped about two inches from my knee, and I had slipped on a pair of "booty" shorts, as Abby called them. My hair had been French braided by Jenny, and the end was hidden from sight. I had refused to wear the leopard print wrist bands, but somehow Abby had wrestled me into a pair of leg warmers. It was hot outside, and she put me in leg warmers. I had a pair of Greek looking sandals that I had slipped on, and Abby squealed.

"You look sooooooo good Ziva!" She said, nearly blowing out my ear drum. She was wearing a dark green short, grass looking dress. It was the only color, other than red, I had ever seen her wear, and she looked adorable. She smiled at me, pulling at her hair. It wasn't in its usual pigtails, but pulled back in a messy bun. She had on green tights, and cloth moccasins.

I smiled at her, exiting her room to go back into mine. I found my bag, putting all of my needs in it. It was an A day, and I knew that photography was going to be a blast with everyone dressed up. Jenny passed my door, smiling at me.

"You look really cute Ziva." She said, and I smiled even wider. Following her down the stairs, Abby groaned as she walked in non platform shoes for the first time in ages. I walked into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. Gibbs was drinking his coffee, most likely already on his third cup. He grinned at Abby in her green grass dress.

"You look good Abs." He said, sipping on his coffee again. She grimaced, sitting down.

"I look weird." She said. I shook my head.

"No, you look good." I said. She grinned weakly at me.

"No, you look good. Really good Ziva." She said, and I blushed a little. I wasn't used to people telling me that. Gibbs looked at me, eyeing my leg warmers.

"Warmers, honestly Abby?" He said, getting up to leave. Abby laughed. Gibbs stopped, looking at me one last time.

"You look good Ziva." He said before walking up the stairs. Someone knocked on the door, and Abby ran to answer it.

"Tony! You look silly!" Abby said, her voice bouncing off the walls.

"So do you Abby. But you look good." He said, his voice coming closer to the kitchen. When he walked in, I laughed only a little. He was wearing a tiger striped shirt, and that was the extent of him dressing up. Nevertheless, it was so out of character for him to wear it that it caught me off guard. He smirked at me, looking at my dress. I pulled at the hem, suddenly self-conscious. Only one person could ever do that to me. He grabbed my hand, pulling me out the door to his car.

"See you later Abby!" I yelled over my shoulder, and saw her smirking at me. I got into Tony's car, pulling my dress out underneath me. Jenny had told me to make sure the fabric was flat, or it would end up all wrinkled. Tony looked at me as he drove, his eyes going over my legs.

"Why are you wearing warmers?" He asked, and I sighed.

"Ask Abby." I said. He laughed, hearing the annoyed tone. He reached over and grabbed my hand, holding it the whole ride to school. When we pulled into the student parking lot, I sighed as I saw most kids had dressed up. There was even a kid in a lion suit, jumping around and scaring girls as they walked by. I got out of the car, squinting as the sun hit my face. Tony grabbed my hand, pulling me up the steps leading to the main hallway. I looked down at Tony's and my hands, seeing how perfect they looked. He nudged me, and I looked up. He was looking down the hall, and I followed his eyes to see Micheal. He was talking to Jeanne. Jeanne looked confused, obviously playing dumb. Micheal rolled his eyes, seeing me. I turned away from him, getting my books. Tony pulled me to first period, edging around Micheal. It was going to be a long day avoiding him.

--

I walked out of Photography, laughing at Jimmy Palmer. He had tripped over his own feet, and fell out of his desk. I walked down the hall, out into the sun to see Tony waiting. I grabbed his hand, and he pulled me back across campus to his car. I saw Kate and stopped him, grabbing her arm as she walked by. She smiled at me, her face lighting up.

"Hi Ziva!" She said, hugging me. I awkwardly put my arm around her back, patting it. She smiled at me, and then looked at us.

"How are you?" I asked her, pulling her with us to Tony's car. She followed, her arm looping through mine.

"I'm good. You look cute in that dress Ziva." She said, looking at my outfit. Halfway through Chemistry I had taken off the warmers. They were shoved in my bag.

"Thanks." I said, smiling at her. She wasn't dressed up, instead wearing a white skirt and a pink shirt. She followed us all the way to the parking lot, where we stood for a minute, Tony talking to some of his friends.

"You know your boyfriend?" Kate asked, and I laughed.

"He is not my boyfriend anymore." I said, looking at Tony. He smiled at me, holding up one finger. I nodded. Kate tilted her head.

"Well, that would explain, A LOT!" Kate said. I looked at her, confused.

"Explain what?" I asked, and she scratched her head.

"Well, we have second period together..." Kate started. I looked at her, and she continued.

"Well, he asked me out." Kate said. I felt my mouth drop, and Tony walked over.

"What's wrong with Ziva?" he asked. I looked up at him.

"Micheal asked her out." I said, pointing to Kate. Tony looked at her, and laughed.

"What did you say?" I asked, hitting Tony in the stomach. He groaned, bending into the pain.

"I said no, duh." Kate said, and I sighed.

"You're happy that I didn't say yes?" Kate asked, looking at me. I shrugged.

"I don't want you to have to put up with him. He's not a nice guy." I said, getting into Tony's car. Tony started the car, pulling out of his parking space. I turned in my seat to talk to Kate when a girl screamed and a gun went off. I ducked, out of habit, and grabbed Tony's head. I pulled it down too, hearing another shot ring out. I stayed down, counting to 20, and then looking up. I saw people crowding around something, and teachers running up to them. I looked at Tony, who was staring at the scene. Kate was behind Tony, away from the window close to where the shots came from. We all looked at each other, suddenly speech less.

* * *

**Dun...Dun...Dun. Haha. Reviews, as always. :)**

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	11. Chapter 11: September

So, first off I would like to say that while being a snoop on here and looking for some good stories, I found one that is kind of like mine. It has the same title, but a different plot line I'm pretty sure. Just wanna say that I had no clue it exsisted until now. The author is vamp926, and I had no clue she had a story like mine. :( Whoops. Sorry.

Anywho, this Swine Flu is getting crazy, don'tcha think? Here it's shut down a school, as the news is informing me.

And, **whowantstokill** Micheal? Who saw the new NCIS? I.... Grr. I can't go on.

**Disclaimer: If I owned NCIS, Micheal would have died in a bombing/roberey/or car crash. Just saying.**

Chapter Eleven: Free Day.  
Favorite line, as always? :)

_

* * *

_

_In news tonight, a local high school shooting today left one student dead, another seriously injured. The police say that the shooting was part of the high school rivalry between Jefferson and Washington high schools. The shooter is from Jefferson High, and he shoot two kids who attend Washington. The police say…_

"Wow." Abby said, looking up at me. I nodded, smiling as Ziva's head fell on my shoulder. We were all sitting on the living room floor at my house, a bowl of popcorn in front of us as we did some of our homework.

"It was pretty random, wasn't it?" Kate asked, her fingers moving over her calculator as she did her math.

"Not really." Ziva said, her hand holding my upper arm. I looked at her.

"Yeah, for you." I said. She shrugged, looking down at the English book we had to read. Abby was lying on the couch, her eyes not moving off the TV. I sighed, leaning back against the couch.

"Well, that was a first for me." Kate said, writing down something on her paper. She put all of her stuff back in her binder, shoving her binder in her backpack. "I guess it's true that there is a first for everything."

"It's not the first time it's happened here though." I said. Kate nodded.

"Part of the reason my parents didn't send me to public school." She said. Ziva looked up from her book.

"They didn't send you to school because they were afraid of you getting shot?" She asked Kate.

"Well, they are kind of paranoid and protective of me. So, I've been home schooled my whole life. Until now, of course."

"That must have sucked." Ziva said, and Abby nodded in agreement.

"I think I would have gone insane if my dad had home schooled me." Abby said, changing the channel.

"Well, it wasn't that bad. The worst part was the fact that the only friends I had were kids I did not even like. I was practically forced to be friends with other paranoid parents kids'. And they were just as paranoid as their parents were." Kate said this as if she had explained this a million times.

"Well, now you have real friends. People who aren't all paranoid and crazy." I joked. Ziva laughed.

"Well, not all of us are crazy." She said. I glared at her, and she smiled. Kate laughed at us before shutting her eyes and leaning her head against Abby's pillow. Kate and Abby had gotten along instantly, but who didn't get along with Abby. Abby was loveable and easy going.

"I'm tired." Ziva said, leaning on me. I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her back against the couch. She curled into my side, promptly falling asleep.

--

I woke up feeling warm and cozy. Two arms were wrapped around my torso and they gripped me tighter. The body that was attached to the two arms moved, legs thrashing about. I opened my eyes to see Ziva, her head buried in my shirt. Her legs were kicking, moving around as she dreamed. I reached up touch her hair, soft sounds escaping her mouth. Suddenly, she gasped and looked up at me. I saw something like terror in her eyes, and she buried her face in my shirt again. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close.

"What's wrong?" I whispered. She shook her head, keeping her face hidden. I rubbed her back, her grip on my torso loosening. She took a deep breath before letting go and getting up. She slipped out of the room before I could say anything, and I heard the bathroom door shut. Kate groaned, rolling over on her back.

"What time is it?" She asked, rubbing her eyes. I reached over and grabbed my phone, looking at the time

"6…. Ish." I said, getting up slowly. Kate groaned, looking at her own phone.

"I need to get home." She said, dialing a number. She disappeared into the other room, her voice hushed. Abby looked up at me, and I smiled.

"Morning Tony." She said.

"Good Morning to you too Abs." She got up, stretching her hands above her head. Ziva walked back in, her hands shoved in her pockets. We had all fallen asleep in our clothes.

"My dad's picking me up. I'll see you guys at school." Kate said as she walked out the door. Ziva smiled at her as she left, then turned to Abby.

"Gibbs is going to kill us." She said. Abby shrugged.

"He can't kill us. He loves us." Abby said happily, getting up and grabbing her bag.

"You say this with such certainty." I joked. Ziva laughed, grabbing her own bag.

"We'll see you at 7:45 Tony." Ziva said. I pulled her into a hug, kissing her hair before she walked out the door. I walked up the stairs, heading to take a shower.

After showering, I got dressed and made myself lunch. My mom hadn't come home, probably on some sort of business trip. There was money on the refrigerator, as if I needed any of it, and a note. I crumpled it up; throwing it into the trash can across the room. I made my way out of the house, grabbing my car keys. I walked next door, jingling my keys as I walked. I walked into the garage, greeting Gibbs.

"Morning." I said. He looked up at me.

"School's cancelled today." He said. I stopped walking.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. They have to clean up the blood. Don't want you kids there." He said, sipping his coffee.

"Did Fornell tell you this?" I asked.

"Who else would?" He smirked. I laughed, jumping up the stairs and inside. Abby was sitting at the kitchen table, eating cereal. When she saw me, she swallowed.

"Tony, we don't have to go to school!" She said, excited. I nodded, putting my bag down on the table. Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and Ziva appeared in the kitchen. Her hair was still wet from her shower, and she was wearing her PE shirt that she had obviously washed. I smiled at her, and she smiled back, becoming even more beautiful if possible.

"Honestly, no school?" She asked, pulling her wet hair off her back. I nodded, and she smiled.

"Yes!" She said, running back up the stairs. I smiled at her enthusiasm, sitting down. Abby finished her cereal and put her bowl in the sink.

"So Tony. What are you going to do today?" Abby asked with a mischievous look on her face. She had her phone out, obviously to text McGee. I shrugged.

"I'm not sure." I said. Ziva bounded back down the stairs, sitting down on the table next to me. Her hair was up in a bun, and she had changed into regular clothes. She swung her legs back and forth, obviously happy.

"Well, I don't want to sit around all day." She said, pulling at a piece of hair that had fallen out of her bun. I nodded.

"Well, then what do you want to do?" I asked. She stopped moving her legs, and she looked down at me.

"You could show me around town. Give me the grand tour. I only know where the school is and there 7/11 is at. And home, of course, but you know." She said. I grinned up at her.

"Let's go then." I said. I got up, grabbing her hand and pulled her out into the garage. Gibbs didn't look up at us as we passed him.

"How about come home tonight, eh Ziva?" He said. We both laughed as we got into my car.

"So, what first ma'am?" I asked. Ziva laughed, looking out the window. She shrugged.

"You're the one driving." She pointed out and I grinned. Turning down a side street, I drove up to a small store. It was once a house, but the owners had turned it into a small store, as they got older. I shut off the car, motioning for Ziva to follow me. She got out, walking next to me. We walked into the store, and Ziva instantly started looking around. The walls were covered in different trinkets, pictures, and paintings. I looked around, trying to think of a gift I could get Abby. She loved this place, always came to buy more trinkets for her room. Ziva laughed as she picked up a tin, most likely a mint can. She set it back down, moving over to where I was standing.

"You brought me here why?" she asked, picking up a small elephant. I shrugged.

"Thought it was time to get Abby a new trinket. She loves this place." I walked over to the wall of small Buddha's and waving cats. Knowing Abby didn't have one of them, I picked one out. Ziva was looking at small water fountains, her fingers moving over the rocks. I walked up behind her.

"Want one?" I asked. Ziva looked up at me, smiling.

"Yes. But, I'm not sure which one. And I have no money." She said. I shrugged.

"I'll pay for you. Pay me back later if you want to." I said. Ziva smiled at me, turning back to the fountains. She was looking at them, her hands on two of them. One looked like a waterfall, and the other was full of colorful rocks. She looked at me.

"Which one would you get?" She asked. I laughed.

"Well, you're asking _me_ which _water fountain_ I like better _honey buns_; you must be pretty torn." I joked. She smirked at my nickname, and looked back down at the fountains. Finally, she picked the waterfall.

"This one." She said.

We walked out of the store with our purchases, putting them in the back seat. Ziva was pulling out her iTouch when I sat down, starting the car up again. Ziva was searching through her songs, her fingers moving over the touch screen. When she found a song, she sat back, her hand hanging out the window.

"What are you listening to?" I asked her. She handed me the iPod, and I looked at it. I smiled at the album cover. I reached over into the glove compartment, pulling out the USB cord. I plugged the iPod in, and Ziva looked at me. I pressed a button on the radio, and I could now hear what she was listening to. Ziva looked at me, confused.

"I had the stereo upgraded so it will work with iPods." I said. She nodded, and I turned up the volume. Ziva had started listening to all of the oldies, and mostly old rock. The Police sounded through the speakers, and she tapped her foot along with the beat.

I drove across town, to the downtown area. Parking in the parking garage, we got out.

"Where are we going?" Ziva questioned. I grabbed her hand.

"Just walk." I said, pulling her to the elevator. I punched the button, feeling my stomach drop as the elevator did.

I took her to the sweet shop, and her eyes widened.

"Wow." She said, pulling me inside. Because there was no school, kids had poured downtown to hang out. I saw Frank and the girl he was going after sitting on one of the benches out front, and smiled. Ziva was looking at all of the candy. After a minute, we decided to get a bag to share.

"It's like the total American experience." I joked as I poured jellybeans into the bag. Ziva laughed as she picked up some sour strips. I shut the bag, walking to the counter. Ziva picked up a gag, and laughed at it. I looked down at the name. "Grow The Perfect Boyfriend" was printed on the front. She smirked at me as I paid, and we walked back outside. It was a perfect day. I saw a group of people sitting on the fountain, throwing coins into it.

I pulled Ziva across the street, down behind the theatre and to the river.

"This is so pretty." Ziva said, walking out onto the bridge. She swung the bag of candy around, chewing on a gummy bear. I followed her, grabbing the candy bag. She glared at me.

"Enjoying my candy?" I teased. She shrugged, looking over the edge.

"It's good." She said. She looked down at her phone, and placed it back in her pocket.

"Someone calling?" I asked. She glared at me.

"No." I sighed, pulling her to me. I felt her phone vibrate again, and I pulled it out of her pocket.

"Give me it back!" She said, trying to get it out of my hands. I walked backwards, seeing home on the caller ID.

"Gibbs is calling you. He's going to be pissed if you don't answer." I hit answer, and put the phone to my ear. Ziva glared at me, her hands on her hips.

"DiNozzo." I said.

"Tony, where is Ziva?" Jenny asked.

"She's right in front of me."

"Well, she hasn't answered my calls, and I need her home. Now." Jenny said. I paused, and Ziva looked at me cautiously.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Jenny sighed.

"Well, Eli is on the phone again. He's been calling for the past hour or so." Jenny said. I nodded, grabbing Ziva's hand. She looked up at me, confused.

"What does he want?" I asked. Jenny paused, and I could hear Gibbs in the background.

"Micheal was shot in the shooting at your guys' school."

I looked down at Ziva. She looked angry and confused, but just as beautiful.

"He wasn't the one that-"

"No, he didn't die." Jenny assured me. I sighed.

"We'll be there in a couple minutes." I said, hanging up.

"What is going on?!" Ziva demanded as I pulled her up the stairs in the parking garage.

"We've got trouble." I said. Ziva stopped, and I turned to look at her, pleading for her to move.

"What is going on?" She said. She looked impatient.

"I'll tell you when we get there." I said, tugging on her hand. She held her ground.

"Tell me Tony." I sighed.

"You're dad is furious." I said, finally pulling her up the stairs again. She seemed to sober up, her eyes dropping.

"Why?" She asked as I drove out of the garage.

"Well, Micheal got shot yesterday." I said. Ziva snapped her head up to look at me.

"He's mad at me about that?!" I winced at her tone. She started rambling in Hebrew, and I sighed.

"Don't jump to conclusions." I said. She glared at me. She mumbled in Hebrew the rest of the ride home. When we pulled up out front of her house, she jumped out. I followed her up the front steps, entering the kitchen just as the phone rang. Jenny had it in her hand. She looked like she wanted to throw it.

"Ziva, I believe this is for you." Jenny said. Ziva looked at the phone, taking it hesitantly.

_(Ziva's POV)_

"What?" I said, walking into the living room.

"What do you think you're doing?" He yelled at me in Hebrew. I winced, pulling the phone away from my ear.

"I'm going to school, hanging out with my friends, making new ones. What do you _think_ I'm doing?"

"Getting Micheal shot?!" He yelled.

"I didn't do that! It was a rival thing Father." I spat. It was then that Tony walked in, watching me.

"How did he get caught in the cross fire, and why does he tell me you two aren't talking? What _exactly_ are you doing?" He asked, his voice lowering about 40 decibels.

"Father, you do not understand."

"I obviously do not Ziva. Would you like to enlighten me?" He asked. I paused, sighting as I sat down on the couch. I thought a moment. I decided to answer in Hebrew.

"Micheal and I had some differences, father. We did not see eye to eye. He left me alone one night, Tony had to pick me up, and then he got drunk at the dance and hooked up with some girl. We got into a fight, and I avoided him the next day. I do not wish to speak to him."

"What else?"

"What else is there to tell?" I asked. He sighed.

"Anthony." He said, and I froze. I looked over at Tony, seeing his eyes on my face. I smiled at him.

"Well, he lives next door." My dad laughed.

"Other than what I already know." He said.

"He's my closest friend here. Abby and he are the closest friends I have. We have five classes together, and spend a lot of time together. What else do you want to know?" I spat in Hebrew. He sighed.

"Micheal thinks he is the reason you hate him."

"I hate him because he makes it easy." I said.

"I'm disappointed in you. Very much so." He was trying to make me guilty. It just made me angrier.

"Well, deal with it. Bye." I spat in English before I hung up. Tony was watching me as I handed Jenny the phone. She looked at me before walking back into the kitchen.

"What did he say?" Tony asked. I shook my head.

"He is concerned about Micheal." I said. Tony nodded, but something told me he didn't believe my lie. I shook my head again, walking up the stairs to my room. I sat on my bed, waiting for Tony to enter the room. When he did, he sat on the floor next to my closet.

"What did he say?" He pressed. I sighed heavily.

"He is concerned about Micheal." I said again. He nodded.

"What else?" I looked over at him.

"He is disappointed in me." I said. Tony got up, walking over to sit down next to me.

"He shouldn't be. You did nothing wrong." He wrapped his arm around my waist.

"He blames me for Micheal getting shot." Tony looked at me.

"Micheal got shot yesterday?" He asked. I nodded.

"He's not dead, just in serious condition. Wish he were dead." I whispered the last part, but Tony laughed.

"Don't say that, it might come true." He said. I knew he was right, and I wrapped my arms around his torso. He lay back on my bed, pulling me with him. We didn't move, just laid there. His hand stroked my face, his fingers lingering on my jaw line.

"You'll be fine." He whispered. I looked up at him. His eyes were soft.

"How do you know?" I asked. He smiled a smile that I was sure I only saw.

"Because, I know these things." He said. I laughed, shutting my eyes and curling into his chest.

--

_(Gibbs's POV)_

The phone rang again, and I grabbed it before Jenny could.

"Let me get this." She sighed, waiting for me to answer.

"Gibbs." I said. I felt stopped drinking my coffee, nodding.

"Thanks." I said, putting the phone down. Jenny looked at me.

"What?" She asked. I took a sip of my coffee.

"Micheal died." Jenny gasped, her face a mix between shock and remorse.

"When?" She whispered, and I wrapped an arm around her waist.

"20 minutes ago. He lost too much blood." Jenny nodded. I kissed her forehead, and she sighed.

"What a mess."

* * *

Ah, I made him die just because of the newest NCIS episode. Just because. He deserves it. Argh. I'm sooo angry. Anywho, I need to get off this subject. Anywho.

I forgot. Haha. Reviews?

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	12. Chapter 12: September & October

So, I guess you guys were as angry at Micheal was I was. Everyones reviews were great, absouletly amazing! Thanks, really. It was great.

**Disclaimer: I own my inhailer.**

Chapter Twelve: Sleep, and Halloween Costume.

* * *

They say that even when you are prepared for death; it still hits you where it hurts. Even if you knew for months that someone was going to die, you still cry and mourn as if it was unexpected. Death surprises everyone. Not many people can just get used to it. It takes many deaths to build up an immunity. And, even if you didn't like the person, you still felt guilt. Moreover, as I sat next to Ziva, I could feel the guilt in the room. It was silent; the only sound Jenny, Gibbs and Abby downstairs. Ziva's face was blank, almost lifeless. If it were not for the sound of her heart beating, I would have thought she was dead.

"Ziva?" I whispered. She didn't move. I kneeled on the floor in front of her, looking at her face. Her eyes were far off, and it looked like she wanted to cry. But she wasn't. She just stared straight ahead, her brown eyes far off. I reached up and pushed her hair back, and she finally snapped out of whatever trance she was in.

"He's dead." She whispered, something between confusion and anger coating her voice. I pulled her into a hug, and she fell off the bed into my lap.

"I know." I said. She looked up at me. I could see the guilt.

"This wasn't your fault. Don't think it is." I said, leaning my forehead against hers. She kept her eyes on mine.

"But I made him miserable. I said I wished he were dead!" she protested. I shook my head.

"But you didn't shoot him. You weren't anywhere near them. You were with me." I said. She looked as if she did not believe me.

"I still feel awful." She confessed, moving her head to my shoulder. I rubbed her back, and she sighed.

"I still can't believe it." She said. I nodded.

I didn't say anything, and we fell back into a comfortable silence. I heard someone walking up the stairs, but we didn't move.

"Guys, are you okay?" Jenny asked, sitting down next to where we were entangled. I looked at her. She looked remorseful, but not a lot.

"Yeah." I said, rubbing Ziva's back again. She tightened her grip on me.

"They are sending his body back to Tel Aviv, where he will be buried." Jenny reached up and gently pulled on some of Ziva's curls.

"What does my dad have to say about this?" Ziva asked, moving her head to look at Jenny. I could feel the heat radiation off her forehead on my neck.

"He's paying for the shipping." Jenny said, and Ziva nodded. Jenny sighed.

"This may sound wrong, but I thought you'd be happier Ziva." She said. Ziva laughed, but it was weak.

"I do feel good, but… I didn't want him to die. Just go away." She whispered. Jenny rubbed her arm, or the little strip of it she could find.

"Yeah. I know." Jenny got up, walking back out. When the door shut, Ziva looked up at me. Her face looked just a tad bit happier.

"I love Jenny." She said. I smiled.

"We all do."

--

"Tony?" Ziva whispered. I looked up at her in the darkness, the moonlight providing just enough light to see her face.

"What?" I whispered back, rolling towards her on the air mattress. She was leaning over the edge of her bed, her hair falling next to her face.

"Can… can I sleep next to you?" She whispered. I looked at her face. Her guard was down. She was sleepy, confused, dazed. I reached up and took her hand. She crawled over to where I was laying, burrowing under the covers. Her breath was hot on my thin shirt as she buried her face in my chest, and fell asleep. I, on the other hand, was wide-awake.

Ziva had been shaken up, upset about Michael's death. It wasn't different from anyone else's reaction. We were all upset. Just knowing that someone you knew was shot in a rival shooting at your high school was depressing. Then knowing that you hated him, and he probably died knowing that made it even worse. Abby was over at McGee's house, just because she wasn't so good at dealing with death. After her fish died in third grade, she spent a week at McGee's. She finally came home when she missed Jenny and Gibbs enough.

However, this was different. It wasn't a fish, something you could replace in an instant. No, to get a new Michael, well…. it just wasn't done. You couldn't just go and buy a new one at the pet store, call it Micheal and move on.

But then again, he was a problem. He had made Ziva's life complicated and hell for one month too long. As of today, he wasn't a problem for her anymore. Unless she kept blaming herself. She had argued with me all after dinner. She said it was her fault, and that if they were speaking he would have been with her, and not near the shooter. But, I knew that was a lie. They would have been near the shooter anyway, seeing as the shooting had happened right near the student parking lot. Where the _students_ parked their cars. After a while she had tired, and fallen asleep. That was when I had carried her up to her room. She woke up just as I laid her down, and she pushed me out to get changed. That was when Gibbs had given me the look. The look to say that there was no funny business.

After she changed into her pajamas, I lay on top of her covers and waited for her to fall asleep. She was so upset and distort, the second she fell asleep she started to toss and turn. I just rubbed her back and got up to leave. Somehow, she had known I was leaving. And I ended up staying.

I looked back down at Ziva, smiling at her sleeping form. Gibbs had opened the door after Ziva had fallen back to sleep, and he thought I was asleep too. It didn't bother me one bit. It wasn't as I was planning on doing Ziva, or even kissing her tonight. She was too upset.

I didn't want to take advantage of her.

She mumbled in her sleep, and I heard my name. I smiled again, kissing her hair. I rolled over on my back, and Ziva didn't miss a beat. She kept her arms wrapped around my torso, but laid her head on my chest. Her right leg curled around my right leg. She was completely surrounding me, her smell filling my nostrils. Not only that, but I was sleeping with some of her blankets.

I tried to explain it myself. However, it wasn't that easy. Ziva was the first girl that I had liked on more than a physical level. Most girls were just hot, and under that they were just ugly and stupid. But Ziva was beautiful inside and out. I knew that she was different, special in all ways. Yeah, I had only known her for two months. However, in two months I had learned a lot about her. She was special. She made me smile, and feel like a million dollars. It was a great feeling.

It wasn't love, not yet at least. But there was chemistry.

I laughed at myself, feeling like a schoolgirl. I felt like some obsessed girl that sat at home and figured out her relationship status with others.

But, this was Ziva.

Pulling her closer, I closed my eyes. It was going to be a while, but I could see myself being in a serious, real relationship. Not one of those flings I had had in the past.

It had only been two months, and already she was changing me.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I groaned into my pillow, not wanting to get up. My pillow groaned back and I sat up, looking down to see Tony smiling at me.

"Good morning." He said. There were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept all night. I laid back down fast, the cold air hitting my bare arms. Maybe it was the blankets, or Tony, but that air mattress had never been warmer. Tony pulled me back to his side again, his nose burrowing into my hair.

"Buongiorno." I said to him, and he laughed.

"Speaking Italian now?" He joked. I could feel a slight blush on my cheeks, but took a deep breath. My alarm went off, and Tony reached up and shut it off. Knowing it was six, I rolled away from Tony, stretching. I felt the cold air on me, and fought the urge to curl back into Tony's arms. I looked at him, and my smile faded.

"We have school." I whispered. He groaned, rolling onto his stomach. His hair wasn't gelled, and looked extremely soft. I reached over and played with it. He laughed, looking at me.

"You're so much more amazing when you let your guard down." He said to me. I blushed a little, keeping my hand on his head. It was then that Gibbs walked in. He looked at our bodies on the air mattress, but didn't comment.

"How are you guys feeling?" He asked. Tony looked up at him, rolling onto his back again. Now he was right next to me.

"Tired. Didn't get a wink of sleep last night." Tony said.

"What were you doing Tony?" Gibbs asked, taking a drink of his coffee. Tony stammered, and Gibbs laughed.

"How are you feeling Ziva?" Gibbs asked me. Truthfully, I wanted to go back under the covers and go back to sleep. I wanted to lie next to Tony and just sleep. That was all I wanted to do. Gibbs nodded, as if he got his answer.

"You don't have to go to school if you don't want to." Gibbs said, walking away. I looked at Tony, who just shrugged.

"I'm going to sleep." He said, rolling over and hiding his face. I got up and shut the blinds, and then the door. I crawled back up onto the air mattress next to Tony, worming my way under his arm. He pulled me close to him, and then we both fell asleep.

_(Jenny's POV)_

Jethro walked back down the stairs, his coffee in his hand.

"They're not going to school today." He said, walking into the living room. I nodded, knowing that they would probably sleep all day. I followed him into the living room, sitting down next to him. His hand found mine, and we sat in a very comfortable silence. The only sounds I could hear were Ziva's snores from upstairs.

_How could Tony sleep with her next to him?_

Gibbs laughed, as if he knew what I was thinking.

"No wonder he didn't get any sleep last night." I laughed too, leaning my head on his shoulder.

--

Abby and Timmy were sitting in the living room, playing a game of Uno. Tim seemed to have the whole deck in his hand. Jethro was laughing at them, eating a sandwich. It was past noon, and Ziva and Tony were still asleep. Or, at least we thought they were still asleep. I didn't want to be the one to walk in there and wake them up if they were. Nevertheless, Ziva's soft snores told us they were still sleeping, so we didn't have to go wake them up.

"I hate this game." Tim said from the living room. I walked in to see him with yet even more cards in his hand. He sighed as he got the right color and put it down.

"Don't tell me that out of all of those cards, you don't have one green. Or a three." Abby said. Tim looked up at her.

"I can put a card down if they are the same number?" He asked. Abby nodded and Tim fell back on the ground, groaning.

"I would have won a long time ago." He said. Jethro laughed again. He looked at me as I sat down.

"This is a good sandwich Jen." I smiled. He went back to eating it as he watched Tim and Abby play some more Uno. Upstairs, I could still hear the snoring.

"Ha!" Abby yelled, putting down her final card. Tim smiled at her, putting his cards back into the pile. He shuffled them, dealing out again. Jethro slipped off the couch, and patted the ground in front of him.

"Deal me in." He said. Tim dealt him his cards and they started to play. I sat down next to Jethro, looking at his cards. Abby looked over at us, hiding her cards.

"We're going to lost Timothy." She said. Tim looked at her.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because they're going to use their ninja brain skills to beat us." Abby said, glaring at us again. Jethro laughed, putting his cards down.

"I would never cheat Abs." He said to her. Abby just glared.

"Come on Abby. Just play." Tim said. She gave us one last glare before she put down her first card. Jethro picked up his cards again, and I sat back and watched the game. Tim hit Jethro with some pick up two cards, and then Abby reversed it so she could make him draw four. Jethro looked at him, shaking his head.

"And you said I was going to cheat." He mumbled, and both of them laughed. I got up, walking to the stairs. The snoring had stopped, and I could hear talking. Then I heard a soft giggle, and smiled.

"They're awake." I said to Jethro as I sat back down next to him. He only had two cards left, and Abby was glaring at him.

"You're using your skills to win." She said. I smiled at her, patting her back.

"Strategy." He said as he looked at his hand. He picked up a card, and then placed it in the discard pile. Tim placed his card down, and then Abby put down hers. She looked at Jethro.

"Go dad." She said. Jethro looked at his hand, and I smiled.

He had two blue cards, and the card on the top of the pile was blue. He put down his card.

"Uno." He said before Abby could. She glared at him.

"I'm not cheating Abs." He defended himself. Abby huffed, watching as Tim found a blue card. I got up again, walking up the stairs. I heard Ziva giggle, and some movement in her room. I stopped outside, putting my ear to the door. It was quiet, but I could hear the air mattress moving. Ziva laughed again, and then I heard her bed squeak.

"Tony, stop." She said. Tony must have moved, because the air mattress made some more noise. Ziva shrieked again, and then I heard her closet doors close. Tony laughed, knocking on them. I was about to open the door when I stopped.

They sounded like they were having so much fun; I didn't want to break the moment. I smiled as Ziva teased Tony, and he laughed.

"Very funny Ziva. Open the door." He said. I found myself smiling at how cute they sounded, arguing over something insignificant. I walked back down the stairs, chuckling to myself.

_(Tony's POV)_

"Ziva, come on." I said, pulling on the door lightly. Her giggles echoed out, and I smiled. Her guard was down, and she was being girly. She was so beautiful like this; I wondered why she wasn't like this all the time.

"Ah ah. I'm not coming out." She said. I laughed, thinking about the whole situation. I pulled on the door again.

"Please? Come out or let me in." I said. Suddenly the door opened and a hand grabbed my shirt. I found myself inside the closet, the door shut again. I looked across from me to see a smiling Ziva.

"You are in." She said. I laughed again, finding her hand and pulling her out of the closet. She resisted a little, and then we both fell back down on the air mattress. She landed on top of me, her hair getting into my mouth. She giggled again, pushing herself up. She looked down at me, a smile on her lips.

"You look frazzled." I said to her, and she shrugged. She rolled off me, and I looked at her. She was looking at the ceiling, her smile still on her face.

"Are you guys' hungry?" Jenny called from downstairs. Ziva looked at me before getting up and standing in the door.

"Yes." She yelled back.

"Well, I have some pasta down here if you want any." I got up, walking up behind Ziva. We walked into the kitchen to see two plates of pasta. Ziva grabbed one, taking a fork. I followed her into the living room, where I saw Gibbs, McGee, and Abby playing Life. Gibbs was losing, which surprised me all to hell.

"I rolled three ones in a row DiNozzo." He said to me. I nodded, sitting down next to Ziva. She moved closer to me, her plate's edge resting on my leg. Gibbs looked at us, his eyes on our food. Smiling, he spun the spinner. Jenny turned on the TV, flipping through the channels. She stopped on CNN, watching the news. Ziva looked up at the TV, her eyes moving over the screen. She turned back to her pasta, picking some up with her fork and eating it.

When we finished, we put our plates in the sink. Ziva started to wash them when I stopped her, grabbing the sponge from her. She smirked at me.

"Being a gentleman?" She questioned. I shrugged, washing our dishes. She pulled herself up onto the counter, sitting next to the sink. I splashed some water at her, and she glared at me. When I was done, I dried off my hands before picking her up off the counter and setting her on the ground.

"You're welcome." I smiled at her, kissing her cheek. She smiled at me, and I grabbed her hand to pull her back into the living room. But she stopped me. I turned to look at her, and her hand found my cheek. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me.

"Thank you."

--

_One Month Later._

"I don't think the vampire look really suits me Abby." Ziva said to the Goth, and Abby shrugged.

"Well, it was worth a shot." She said. I grabbed Ziva's hand and she smiled at me.

After learning of Micheal's demise, things had gotten a little easier. And Ziva was letting her guard down around me more. She kept her guard up when we were in public, like always, but she acted more childish and fun when we were home. But she still threatened to kill me every now and then.

It was now almost the end of October. I had known Ziva for three months. Abby kept asking me why I didn't ask her out, and I just kept shaking my head.

"_Not yet. It has to be special." _I kept telling her. For some reason, she found it funny the first time. But after that, she listened to me and stopped asking every day. She understood that Ziva was different, and I wanted to take things slower with her. Even though I had never gone all the way with any girl, I had gotten my hands up her shirt. I didn't want Ziva to be one of those girls.

We walked through the mall, looking for Halloween Costumes. Abby was throwing a party, and we all had to wear costumes. I wasn't excited, but Abby had talked me into it. I wasn't going all out like Abby was, just a simple pirate costume. Ziva hadn't found one yet.

"I'm not sure Abby." She said yet again. Abby was holding yet another black costume. I chuckled as I picked up a tub of fake blood. I showed it to Abby.

"Hardy har har." She said, pushing me away. I then heard Ziva gasp and turned around. She looked at me.

"I've found the perfect costume."

* * *

Mm, so I had a small little asthma attack today during PE. So, I've been home since 10 something. Working on this. This is getting really fun, this story. I'm watching Kill Ari part one right now. First words "Phone Sex." heehee. Anywho, reviews?

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	13. Chapter 13: October

Oh, the joys of being a writer.

**Disclaimer: I own a bag of the most amazing popcorn ever.**

Chapter Thirteen: Worlds Collide

* * *

"_Hardy har har." She said, pushing me away. I then heard Ziva gasp and turned around. She looked at me._

"_I've found the perfect costume." _

From behind her back, she held up a ninja costume. Abby squealed, laughing as she walked over to look at the costume. I smiled at Ziva, looking at the costume.

"Ninja." I said, and she nodded. I laughed again, watching as Abby jumped up and down in excitement.

"Oh my gosh, this will be perfect!" Abby said, her face lighting up as she thought.

"Abby, calm down." Ziva said, holding Abby's shoulders. Abby stopped bouncing, and smiled.

"A pirate and a ninja." She said, and I saw Ziva blush somewhat. I smirked at her, grabbing her hand again. After she paid for her costume, we walked back out into the mall. It had started to rain a little, the drops littering the glass ceiling. I could smell food, and I looked up at the balcony near the food court. Ziva seemed to know what I was thinking, laughing at me.

"We just ate Tony." She said, pulling me into the Apple store. Abby had walked in there, and was looking at the new computers. Ziva stopped near the entrance, watching Abby. I looked at the iPods, thinking about my old one.

"It's really crowded in here." Ziva pointed out, and I nodded. I squeezed her hand before walking over to where the iPods were displayed. Abby walked over to us, looking over my shoulder.

"I think someone wants a new iPod." Abby said, pulling us away. I looked at her, and she smirked.

"Just wait Tony. Now let's go." She said, pulling us back out the door.

--

Jenny was sitting on the patio when we got home. Gibbs had obviously enclosed it before the rain hit, so Jenny wouldn't get soaked. Ziva moved out through the door, and sat down on the deck. Abby bounded up the stairs, her boots making quite a ruckus. I walked out onto the patio with Ziva, sitting down on a chair. The deck was completely enclosed, the glass walls that awkwardly stood there during summer now being used for good. It was also warm, a small heater sitting in the corner.

"How was the shopping?" Jenny asked, not looking up from her book.

"We all found costumes." Ziva said, running her fingers over the finished wood.

"Good. You will have a fun time Ziva." Jenny said to Ziva. Ziva nodded, looking up as Abby walked in. The rain was pounding on the glass roof, the sound soothing.

"Ziva, you should invite Kate. I'm sure she'd like to come." Abby said. Ziva nodded, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She disappeared inside, her phone to her ear.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I smiled as Kate walked inside, shaking her head. Rain droplets flew everywhere, and Tony swatted at them.

"Who let the dog in?" He joked, and Kate glared at him.

"Someone pee in your cheerios DiNozzo?" Kate said. I grabbed her arm before Tony could retort, throwing him a look. He smiled at me, sticking his tongue out at the back of Kate's head.

"He is so immature." She said, pulling her jacket off as we walked into my room. I laughed, shaking my head.

"I think it's just you." I said. She laughed, sitting down on the floor.

"What do you mean?" She asked. She moved some clothes around, leaning back against my bed.

"Well, you let him tease you. Or at least it's just so easy for him to find something that makes you angry." I looked sat down next to Kate, hiding a shirt under my bed. She saw and pulled it out, holding it up. A smirk went across her face.

"What's this?" She said, looking at me. I tried to grab the shirt, but she held it away from me. Her smile got even wider.

"Give it back." I said. She just kept smiling, her hand holding the shirt far away from me.

"Tell me Ziva." She said. I glared at her.

"Kate, give it back." I said.

"Tell me."

"It's just a shirt." I said. Kate laughed, smirking at me.

"This is not just any old shirt Ziva. This is Tony's shirt. Has he been sleeping in here lately?" She teased. I glared at her, not finding it funny for some reason.

"It's just a shirt. I changed into it when he, Abby, and I were at his house and Abby drenched me in syrup. Now can I have it back?" I said. She laughed, moving away.

"Why do you still have it?" She asked. I was now completely blushing.

"Ah, I've got you now." Kate said. I looked at her, moving to my knees.

"If you give me it, I'll tell you." I bargained. She looked at the shirt, then at me. Finally, she handed me the shirt. She moved back next to me, watching as I put the shirt in my nightstand with the rest of my pajamas.

"Now, tell me. Oh, wait..." Kate said, seeing where I put the shirt. "You sleep in that shirt, don't you?" She asked. I looked at her and she shook her head while chuckling under her breath.

"Ziva David, you are in love with that boy." Kate said matter-of-factly. I looked away from her, staring at the bag that held my costume.

"What did you buy?" Kate asked. I grabbed the bag, pulling out the costume. She smiled at it.

"A ninja?" I nodded, and she laughed.

"I'm going to be a witch. Abby talked me into it." She said, contorting her face into a wicked grin. I laughed, shutting my eyes.

"That bad?" She asked. I shook my head, still laughing.

"It's great. Just, really funny." I said. She nodded at me.

"Are you going to wear this costume just like this?" Kate asked, holding up the shirt. I shook my head.

"I was thinking about…. changing it a little." I said. Kate tilted her eyebrow.

"I was thinking about making it a little more…. sexier, yes?" I said. Kate laughed, shaking her head.

"Of course." Kate said. She got up, walking over to my closet. She looked through my clothes, pulling out an old shirt. She pulled off the shirt she was wearing and put on mine. Since we were about the same size, we shared clothes all the time.

"Are you excited for the party?" Kate asked as she put her damp shirt in my hamper.

"A little. Although, since Abby is planning it, it's going to be great." I turned on my stereo, plugging my iTouch into it. Kate sat down and chose a song.

"Abby's great. I bet she'll have the best decorations ever." Kate said as she moved her fingers over the screen. She finally chose a song, and turned up the volume.

"The music is going to be insane though." I said, and Kate laughed.

"Maybe you can get her to let us pick the music."

"Ha, you can try." I said, sitting back on my bed. Kate sat on my legs, and I groaned. She laughed, and I pushed her off.

"Ow Ziva." She said. I laughed, and she sat back down on my legs, this time not letting me kick her off. I sat up, pushing her off my legs. We both laughed as she fell and pulled me down with her. We landed next to each other, our legs still up on the bed. Our laughter got even worse when we looked at each other. I pulled my feet off the bed, sitting up straight. Kate did the same, and her head fell on my shoulder.

"Nice Ziva." She said between fits of laughter. I held my stomach as I kept laughing, and I finally stopped myself.

"It's all your fault." I said, and she stopped laughing.

"Yeah, but you're the one who pushed me." She said. I shrugged, her head falling off my shoulder. She moved so her head was in my lap, and I smiled at her. Somehow, we acted more like sisters. Just like Abby and me did. I pulled at her hair, smoothing it out in my hand. She was looking at the ceiling, where pictures and paper lanterns were hung.

"I think we need some more pictures up there." Kate said. I nodded, and she looked over at the bulletin board I had bought. I had numerous pictures tacked up there, along with notes between Tony and me. Abby had glued black lace around the metal edge, and then Tony had torn some of it off and wrote on the metal. From where I sat, I could see his handwriting. Kate moved her head, and I looked down at her. She was looking at the board too.

"What is written on the bottom?" Kate asked. She got up and walked over. She leaned on my desk and read the writing. She laughed, turning to look at me.

"Tony's nuts." She said. I laughed, thinking the same thing.

"Guys, you in there?" Abby said, knocking. Kate opened the door, and Abby bounced in. She sat down next to me and Kate next to her.

"I need some help guys, planning my party." Abby said. Kate looked at her, smiling.

"What do you need help with?" I asked. Abby handed me a list.

"I need these people to get an invite in their lockers tomorrow." I looked at the list, smiling.

"I can do that."

--

Tony followed me down the hallway to someone else's locker. I slipped the invitation in the locker, turning around to face Tony. He was right behind me, his breath tickling my face. I smiled up at him, pointing down the hall.

"890." I said. He nodded, and pulled me down to the A wing. I found the locker, slipping the piece of paper through the slits. We were halfway through the list, and we had half an hour before everyone showed up.

"Where to now?" He asked, looking over my shoulder at the paper. I felt his breath on my ear.

"This way." I said, pulling him back into the main hallway.

When we finished, we went back to Tony's car. We still had 15 minutes until everyone started to show up. Tony handed me my bag, and I pulled out my comb. Tony watched me, his eyes traveling to places other than my face. I reached over and jerked his head up. He laughed, and grabbed my hand. I looked at him.

"Sneaky Ninja." He said. I laughed, grabbing a hair tie. It was still raining, and my hair was wet. I pulled my unruly hair up into a ponytail, holding back stray hairs with a clip.

"I don't think we are running today." Tony said.

"Oh, I don't think we are leaving the gym today."

And I was right. When we headed into PE, our teacher announced that due to the rain, we would be playing basketball all period; an hour and a half. It would be half court, so the people who didn't want to play a competitive game could play Thunder. I decided to play Thunder, and ended up beating everyone. I found it ironic to be playing a game called Thunder, while the thunder rolled outside.

"Hey, he's cheating!" a kid yelled from across the room. I looked over to see the Craig laughing, pointing at Hank as he ran up to the basket, not dribbling. Phil laughed at them.

"Hank, knock it off." Phil yelled at his student. Hank passed the ball, and everyone kept playing.

"They are so stupid." Glynis said to me, and I nodded. I passed her the ball, and got behind her in line. Since I had won, I got to choose if I wanted to be first or second. We started to play again, and by the time we had finished so had the guys. Apparently, Tony's team had won. I walked over to where Phil stood, organizing new teams.

"Wanna play Ziva?" Hank asked, elbowing me. I elbowed him back, and he groaned. Everyone laughed.

"Sure." I said, and Phil nodded.

"Well, let's do this. A-M on one team, N-Z on the other." Phil said. Glynis raised her hand.

"Yes, Glynis?"

"Is that last names?" She asked. Phil nodded.

"Now go play!" Phil yelled. Tony grabbed my arm, moving me onto the court.

"I've got Ziva, the ninja, on my team!" He said. I elbowed him.

"I could turn on you." I whispered. He laughed.

"Like you could do that." He said. I looked at him, and he leaned in.

"You can't resist the DiNozzo charm." He whispered. I shook my head.

"No, I can't. But I love messing with you." I teased.

It turned out that Tony was really good, and we made a great team. As the game went on, I realized that the other PE classes had walked in and were watching. Some girls started to cheer, and Tony gave me a look.

"Look how good we are Ziva. We've got fans." He teased as I passed him the ball. He caught it, dribbling around the court. I stood across from him, watching. When he looked up at me, I moved towards the basket, completely unnoticed by the other guys. Tony threw the ball right into my hands, and I shot the ball right into the hoop. Phil blew the whistle, signaling the end of the game.

"A-M won!" He said, and Hank looked at me.

"You're good David." He said. I shrugged, walking with Glynis back to the locker rooms.

"Are you and Tony going out?" She asked, looking at me. I stopped moving the locker dial, looking at her.

"No." I said, pulling my locker open. I pulled out my regular clothes, changing into them.

"It seems like it." Glynis observed, pulling her PE shirt over her head. I pulled off my shorts, pulling on my jeans.

"Well, we aren't." I said, feeling bitter as I said the words. I pulled my shirt on, and sat down to put on my shoes. I pulled the sweatshirt Tony had given me earlier over my head, grabbed my bag, and walked out of the locker room. Tony was waiting for me, and smiled at what I was wearing.

"Nice jacket." He said, grabbing my hand. We walked out into the rain, my shoulders going up to my ears as a reflex. But then I remembered that I was wearing a jacket, Tony's, and let them relax. He pulled me to our history class, where we waited for class to start.

"I didn't know Ziva David was a jack of all trades." Tony said to me. I glared at him, putting my bag on the ground.

"Jack of what?" I asked, confused. Tony laughed, leaning forward to push a piece of my hair back behind my ear.

"It just means you know how to do a lot." He explained, and I nodded.

"Sorry." I said.

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault." He said, squeezing my hand. I smiled at him.

"Yeah, I know." He smiled at me, leaning forward even more and kissing my cheek.

--

_(Tony's POV)_

"Tony, honestly." Gibbs said to me when he saw my pirate costume. I laughed, sitting down at the kitchen table. Gibbs and Jenny were going out, and they were giving Abby strict rules. I looked at McGee, laughing at his well… non-costume. He was just wearing a button up shirt, his pants pulled up to far, and glasses.

"Going for the nerd look there, McGeek?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Abby had the idea." He said. I didn't laugh, knowing that Abby could talk anyone into anything.

"And DiNozzo, if I hear any bad conduct, I'll personally head slap you hard enough to make you brain damaged." Gibbs threatened, and I nodded.

"Yes sir." I said, and he head slapped me.

"One for good measure." I said, nodding. I rubbed the back of my head, looking over at McGee. He stopped laughing, and fixed his glasses.

"Good bye guys. Have fun." Jenny said, walking out behind her husband. When the door shut, Abby turned to me.

"Where are Kate and Ziva?" She asked.

"We're right here." Kate said, and I looked up. Kate was wearing a white wig, and a long sleeved black dress. Her lipstick was dark red, and when she smiled, I saw her fangs. I smirked at her.

"Keep those away from me." I said, faking fear.

"Gladly." She said, and I heard Ziva laugh. Ziva walked out into the kitchen, and my breath stopped. She was wearing her ninja suit, but it wasn't the one I remembered.

The shirt was shorter, exposing her completely tan stomach. The collar had been cut, and I could see her shoulders. She wasn't wearing the pants that came with the costume, but tight black pants. She was bare foot, and she was wearing a mask. All in all, she looked amazing. Her eyes locked with mine, and I could see the smirk in her eyes.

"You look…. amazing Ziva." Abby squealed, taking the words right out of my mouth. Ziva pulled the mask up on her face, revealing her mouth.

"Thanks Abby." She said. She moved over next to me, patting my stomach.

"Nice costume." She said. I was speechless; the electric sparks in my stomach overwhelming. She smirked before pulling her mask back over her face. Abby was smiling at us.

"Yeah, nice costume Tony." She said, grabbing Kate's hand and walking into the living room. McGee walked in behind them, leaving me all alone.

"Wait up!" I said, finally finding my voice.

--

The music, for my taste, was excessively loud. Abby had it turned up as loud as she could, but it didn't seem to bother anyone. There were kids everywhere, except upstairs. It was off limits, made clear when Abby turned off the music to threaten anyone who decided to go up there.

I slipped away from Frank, who was standing next to his new girlfriend, and made my way up the stairs. Abby smiled at me from where she stood near the stereo, turning her attention back to McGee. I walked up into Ziva's room, and was surprised to find here sitting on her bed.

"Ziva?" I asked, and she looked up.

"What?" She asked. I sat next to her.

"Why are you up here?" I asked. She shrugged.

"I needed a break from the loud music." I put my arm around her waist.

"Mm, too loud for the ninja? Thought that it would make it easier to sneak around and kill people." I joked. She shrugged.

"Ninja's off duty tonight." She said. I pulled her closer to me, and she wrapped her arm around my waist.

"Well, could you be on duty tonight just long enough to go have a couple dances?" I asked. She looked at me, and nodded.

"Let's go." She said, pulling me down the stairs and back into the loud music.

_(Abby's POV)_

From where I was standing, I could see Tony and Ziva perfectly. And, as people started to move around them to form a circle, so could everyone else. Ziva's arms were around Tony's neck, and his hands were placed gently on her hips. Their bodies were in perfect harmony as they moved around the room. Tony spun Ziva out, and snapped her back to him. Someone started to clap to the beat, and soon everyone was dancing again. However, Tony and Ziva were in a different universe.

Tony's fingers went up Ziva's side, their eyes not moving from each other's. Tim walked up next to me, watching the scene I saw.

"Do you think-"

"No, they aren't." I answered. He nodded.

Tony dipped Ziva, and she pushed him back up. She spun out of his arms, their eyes still not moving. I didn't even think they were blinking.

"Tony's changed." Tim said. I nodded, keeping my eyes on them.

"Yes he has." I answered. The song ended, and Tony and Ziva stood there. They didn't move, they didn't speak. But their eyes were searching each other's. Suddenly, they disappeared, running up the stairs. Tim looked at me, and I shrugged.

"They won't do anything." I assured him. He looked at me, and I pulled him out the on dance floor. He needed to keep his mind out of the gutter.

_(Ziva's POV)_

Tony pulled me into my room, and pushed the door shut behind him. I looked back into his eyes, and saw what had seen the whole time we were dancing. Something smoldering, something dangerous. It was as if he wanted to tear my mask off and attack me, crash his lips against mine. I sat down on my bed, and he sat down next to me. We didn't have to talk; it wasn't needed. I looked up at him, smiling. He smiled back, and pulled me to him. He pulled me back on the bed, and we laid there.

"Abby!!!" Someone yelled down stairs. I looked up at Tony, and he smiled. His lips pressed up against my forehead, and I felt a shock go through my body. It felt something like what had gone through me when I had patted his stomach. I kissed his chin, and he hummed.

"You look amazing tonight." He whispered to me, his lips next to my ear. I shuddered a little. I couldn't find the words to tell him he looked amazingly hot. So instead, I nodded.

"Thanks." I stammered. He laughed lightly, his arms going around my bare waist. He reached up and pulled off my mask, ruffling my hair. I smiled up at him, pulling my hair flat on my head. He tousled it again. I glared up at him.

"I like it messed up." He said quietly. I blushed, reaching up to mess with his gel free hair.

"Going for the Captain Jack Sparrow look?" I asked, and he gaped at me.

"You know Pirates of the Caribbean?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Well, it's a popular movie. Abby made me watch it when she found out I hadn't seen it." I said. He laughed, pulling my hand back down.

"Go Abby." He said. He placed my hand on my chest, and I felt his heart beating.

"Yeah." He said, and I nodded.

"I love your hair like this." I said, trying to hide my blush. He saw it though, and he touched my cheek.

"I like you like this." He said. I looked at him.

"Like what?" I asked, confused. He looked at me, and smiled.

"All calm, and just…. unguarded. You are so amazing and beautiful when you aren't trying to keep people out." He reached up and pulled on a piece of my hair gently. He looked into my eyes, and I felt my heart flip. "You may not know it, but you have quite the girly side to you." His tone was somewhat joking, but his eyes were sincere. I smiled at him, patting his cheek softly.

"Oh." I said. He nodded, kissing my forehead again.

"It's beautiful Ziva. Just like you." He whispered. I could hear his nervousness. I scooted up to I was eye level with him, and looked into his eye.

"You're too kind." I said. Tony shook his head.

"No. I'm just telling you the truth." He said.

"I know. I'm just saying. You are too kind." He laughed softly again.

"Ziva, have you thought about when you have to go home?" He asked. I froze.

_I had not, until now._

Tony must have seen my reaction, because he instantly took it back.

"You don't have to." He said. I shook my head.

"No, it's okay." I said. He watched me as I spoke. "I don't want to leave. You guys are my family, the best family I've ever had." I said. Tony pulled me even closer to him, my face pressed up against his bare chest.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to me. I kept quiet, thinking about when I would have to leave. Suddenly, Tony's hands were on either side of my face. His eyes looked fearful.

"Stop thinking about it." He said, his thumb running over my cheek. I fought back tears. I couldn't stop thinking about leaving all of them, and my breath sped up. Tony moved so he was propped up on top of me, his face inches from mine.

"Stop." He breathed. I looked at him, my brain stopping. All I could see, hear, feel was Tony right there next to me. I looked into his green eyes, and smiled.

"I just did." I breathed back. He laughed, leaning even closer to me. I could smell his breath, his after-shave, and his cologne. All of it mixed together smelled so sweet.

"Good." He said. I felt his hand on my stomach, making small lines. We didn't move, our heads just centimeters apart. If I were to speak, our lips would touch. His green eyes searched mine, the color alone filling my stomach with amazing butterflies. His hand wasn't helping the matter, and his smell was just making it even more amazing.

"You look confused." He said, his lips brushing over mine. I felt the shocks, and I knew he felt them as well. I wanted to move just one centimeter more, just a slight little lift of the head.

"Tony?" I asked.

"Ziva?"

My hormones were raging, and I knew once this began, it wouldn't stop. Tony was reading my mind again.

"You won't be one of them." He whispered. I stared at him, and he smiled.

"Can I ask you a question?" He said.

"Yes, you can." I said.

"Can….. can I kiss you?" He asked, his voice nervous. I stared at him. Now, his guard was down. I leaned up so our lips were just barely touching.

"Whenever you want." I whispered back before pressing my lips to his.

And then, worlds collided.

* * *

**Oh, so..... Yeah. Next chapter will be some hormonal teens making out on a bed, hopefully. ;)**

Reviews(:, and I make it heated make out session. ;) Not too much though. Ziva will not be one of those girls.

Ssssllluutttsss.

  
_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	14. Chapter 14: October

**So, i erased my work twice, revised it all, and then finally got this. The beginning might confuse you, but just read it. I'm not sure how it ties to the kiss, but I think it shows that Ziva's found her happy place, and this kiss tops that. :)**

**Hey, do any of you live on the West Coast of the USA? I havent' met one person who does yet on here :(**

**Plus Air will be in here, but not as a bad guy. Go on my profile and vote on my poll. :)**

_Italics are thoughts, Italics and Underline's are quotes. For the first part, anywho._

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!**

**Chapter Fourteen: Stop Thinking_

* * *

_**

_Everyone has their own happy place, and I started having one when I was a kid. When I was little, I would imagine myself with my mom. It didn't matter what, as long as I was with her. However, as I got older, I started to imagine myself with Tali. Whenever I was away from her, I would zone out of whatever I was doing and be with her. On the plane ride to America, my happy place was back in Israel. For the first week, I was back in Israel. But soon, it changed._

_By the second week, I didn't have to think of a happy place. Everyone felt like family to me. However, at night, when I would wake up after horrific dreams, I would go to my happy place. It wasn't far. It was just down stairs, sitting on the living room floor and playing Life with Abby, Jenny, and Gibbs. Even that changed._

_As I got closer to Tony, and school started, I would sit in third period and imagine myself with him. Riding in his car, playing tag in his house, or just sitting with him next to the pool; it was not hard to do either. I'd just sit back and bam!_

_I was in my happy place._

_When my father had told me that Michael was to stay and be my boyfriend, my happy place was the only thing I could do to stop myself from throwing a fit. I slipped into it silently as my dad talked to me. I was on autopilot, answering his questions with a 'Yes sir' or 'No sir'. He was pleased, and I was in my happy place. I was dancing with Tony. It was perfect, and my dad couldn't mess it up._

_When Michael first kissed me, I imagined it was Tony. Not Michael's bushy face and his dark eyes. No, it was Tony's soft cheeks and perfect greens eyes I was seeing. I got out of Michaels car and brushed my teeth, ate three breath mints, and brushed my teeth again. Just for good measure._

_For the past month, I didn't have to go to my happy place much. It wasn't really necessary. Everything was just right, and I was with Tony all the time. There was no need._

"_Can….. can I kiss you?" He asked, his voice nervous. I stared at him. Now, his guard was down. I leaned up so our lips were just barely touching._

"_Whenever you want." I whispered back before pressing my lips to his._

_And then, worlds collided._

Electrocution?

No.

Lightening strike?

Still no.

Splitting an atom?

Close.

I couldn't find some sort of scenario that could describe the feeling. All of that pent up energy, the tension, the feeling of needing to kiss him. It was all let out when I finally pushed my lips up to meet his. His reaction was what caused an amazing feeling.

We had kissed before, but that wasn't as amazing as this. That had been short, and there wasn't as much emotions as this kiss held. Tony's hands moved up to my hair, holding my face in place. As soon as he moved, I moved my hands around his neck. It wasn't long before his tongue was in my mouth, moving over my teeth. I let out a small moan, the feeling so overwhelming.

Tony's fingers were running down my arm, and when he reached my hand, he held it tight. He pulled my arm up and entwined our fingers. I suddenly felt light headed, so I broke away from his lips. His breaths were heavy, as were mine. He opened his eyes, and could barely make out the green in the dark. He kissed my cheek, and then my jaw. I felt even more shivers go through my body as his hand ran over my bare stomach. I couldn't do anything, I was so mesmerized. I let out a small gasp as his lips found a sweet spot on my neck. His fingers tickled my ribs, and I started to laugh. I pushed him onto his back, sitting on his waist. He propped himself up on his elbows, looking at me.

I bent down and captured his lips again, this time sticking my tongue in his mouth. His hands found my waist, his fingers holding onto me as if I would disappear at any moment. I ran my one hand into his hair and the other across his chest. This time he moaned, his body shuddering. I smiled into the kiss, loving the fact that I could do this to him.

"Ziva." He whispered against my lips, his hands moving up my sides. I felt goose bumps rise on my skin, his fingers causing some sort of sensation in my head. We kept our eyes shut; just letting our hands do the talking. Tony's hand ran up my arm to my shoulder, and then down my jaw line. I pressed my forehead against his, trying to calm my breathing.

I pressed my lips to his again, this time moving slowly. His hands went to my neck, pulling me as close as he could. I finally gave up trying to keep myself propped up and let my body fall onto his. Tony groaned as I broke away, laying my head on his chest. His arms wrapped around me, almost protectively. I could hear his heart; its beating irregular and sporadic.

_Aroused._

I moved my arms around his neck, fixing my place on his chest. He kissed the top of my head, and I looked at him.

"You are amazing." He whispered. I blushed, moving my face into his neck. He laughed a little, rubbing my back.

"As are you." I whispered. I felt his hand trace the lines of my back, and we laid in silence for a while. Finally he spoke.

"Ziva, can I ask you something?" He said.

"You've been asking me a lot tonight." I said, and he laughed. However, it died off and he was suddenly serious.

"I know, but I just… want to ask you something." He said. I looked up at him, and saw that his eyes were glazed over. I reached up and touched his cheek, bringing back. He looked at me seriously.

"Anything." I answered softly. He looked at me, and I saw he was nervous.

_What did he want to ask me?_

--

_(Abby's POV)_

As everyone left, I finally shut off the music. My ears were ringing, and Tim was grabbing the broom and a garbage bag. I looked around, not seeing Tony and Ziva. Everyone had filed out, leaving an empty house with garbage everywhere. I grabbed the broom Tim handed me and started to sweep a pile of garbage into the bag he held.

"Where are Tony and Ziva?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Probably having wild, crazy sex up in her room." I said, scratching my head.

"Abby, Abby, Abby. How wrong you are." Tony said from behind me. I turned around to see Tony, carrying Ziva on his back. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, and his hands were on her legs. I smirked at him, noticing that their hair was a little messed up.

"Stop thinking Abby." Ziva warned jumping off Tony's back. She grabbed a broom, and Tony grabbed a bag. They started to clean up as well. We all worked in silence, the ringing in my ears not going away. When Tim and I finished the living room, we moved to the patio. Tony and Ziva worked in the kitchen, and from where I stood, I could see them. Tony said something to Ziva, and she smirked at him. She moved away from him, sweeping some more garbage into a pile. I saw the look Tony gave her, and smiled.

"Hey, Abby!" Tim said in my ear. I looked up at him, smiling.

"Calm down Timmy. I'm still here." I said. He looked at where I was looking at, his eyes going over our friends.

"What do you think they did?" He asked. I shrugged, patting his cheek.

"Whatever they wanted to, Timothy. They are old enough to know what they are doing." I moved to sweep up some more garbage.

"Do you _really_ think they did something up there?" He asked. I stopped sweeping to stare at him.

"Like Ziva said to me, stop thinking. Just pick up before my parents get home." I glared at him and he put the garbage bag on the ground. Kate walked out onto the patio, pulling her wig off as she walked. She looked in at Tony and Ziva, a slight smile on her face.

"Stop thinking Kate." Tim and I said at the same time. She looked at us, laughing.

"There is only one explanation for the way they look, how they are looking at each other and how her bed looks." Kate said. Tim coughed.

"Please stop thinking guys." He pleaded, and I patted his head.

"You need to loosen up Timmy." I said as I moved to sit down. Tim put the bag of trash next to the couch in the living room and walked back out to sit next to me. Kate was pulling her hair out of its pins, scratching her scalp. She grabbed the brush I handed her and ran it through her hair.

"That was a lot of fun." She said. I smiled at her.

"Did you really enjoy it?" I asked. She nodded. She pulled her fangs out, running her tongue along her teeth.

"It was the most fun I've had in years." She said truthfully. I smiled at her, looking at Tim. He was trying hard not to look into the kitchen, and it was really obvious.

"Tim, you are a crack up." I said, patting his cheek. He grimaced.

"It's scary Abby." I tilted my head.

"What's scary?" I asked. Kate moved closer to us, pulling off her shoes as she went.

"Them…… together……. just, that." He said. I glared at him. Kate was staring at him as well.

"Tim, everyone needs love." I said to him. He looked shocked.

"No, I know that! It's just… it's Tony. Mister-gone-out-with-every-girl-in-our-school." Tim said, emphasizing each word. I shook my head.

"Not every girl. Not me and Kate." I said.

"Yeah, but he's known you since like forever, and he just met Kate." I looked down at Kate, who just shrugged.

"Tim, no matter what, everyone needs love. It's something we all crave, want, and desire. And love is love, no matter how weird it is." I explained. "And if Tony loves Ziva, and Ziva loves him, leave it. You can't pick who you are attracted to." Kate nodded, patting my leg. Tim shook his head, looking into the kitchen. He looked back at me, and I looked past him to see what he saw.

Tony had Ziva wrapped up in his arms, and she was leaning up against the table. I turned away right before they kissed, smiling down at Kate. She shook her head at me.

"Abby, stop." She said. I glared at her.

"Do you see that?!" I said. She nodded.

"Abby, leave it alone." She said, slapping my leg. I glared at her.

"Abs." Tim said. I looked at him. He was giving me the look. I sighed, turning back to Kate. We sat there in silence, when I heard a car pull up. I jumped up, running through the living room to the front door. Ziva and Tony were now sitting on the counter, eating grapes. Ziva jumped off the counter, following me out the door. I smiled when I saw my parents.

"Mom!" I said, running over to hug Jenny. She hugged me back, walking up towards the house. She gave Ziva a hug, and smoothed her hair.

"How was the party?" She asked us. I looked at Ziva, who looked at me. I saw the look in her eyes, and tried not to laugh.

"It was great." Kate said, rescuing us from making fools of ourselves. Gibbs walked up to me, kissing my forehead.

"Was it now?" he asked. I looked up at my dad, knowing that he was using his God like skills to figure out what had happened. I nodded.

"It was! We cleaned up too." I said, and he nodded at me.

"Good job Abs." He moved inside behind Jenny. I followed them, grabbing Ziva's hand and pulling her inside. Kate was arguing with Tony about something, their banter childish.

"Tony, you are disgusting." Kate said, grabbing her fangs back from him. Tony grinned at her before turning to smile at Ziva. Ziva rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway. I watched, as they stood next to each other, close as usual.

"DiNozzo didn't do anything stupid right?" My dad asked, looking at me. I shrugged.

"Nope." I said. He eyed me, but let it drop. He walked up the stairs, obviously to get changed. I looked at Tim, who was practically sleep walking.

"Come on Timmy." I said gently, pulling him into the living room to lay him down on the couch. He allowed me to lay him down and pull a blanket over him. He fell asleep fast. Kate was sleeping on the air mattress in the living room, and Tony was going to be on the other couch. Although, I doubted he would stay there for long.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I heard Kate and Tony arguing down stairs, again, and sighed. It was 2 AM, and none of us had fallen asleep yet. Besides Tim, of course.

"Just go to sleep Tony." I heard Kate say. I sighed as the talking stopped. Rolling over, I smiled at the scent of my pillow. My mind was still reeling at what had happened earlier, my body tingling. It was all so perfect, so amazingly right. Never before had my life been this carefree. I grabbed my iTouch, finding a song I could fall asleep too. I plugged it into its dock, and the soft music of Norah Jones filled my ears. I shut my eyes and fell asleep. Only to be awoken an hour later.

"Ziva?"

I turned over at my name, smiling at the source of the sound. I held up my blankets, and he slipped under them. His arms wound around me, pulling me to his chest.

"Trouble sleeping?" I asked, moving comfortably in his arms. He shrugged.

"Not really." He said. I looked up at his face. He looked tired.

"Well, go to sleep. I'm tired." I said, wrapping an arm around his waist. We snuggled closer, and then I felt my eye lids start to droop. His breathing got even softer, and slower, and finally we both fell asleep with Norah Jones still playing.

_Don't know why, I didn't come.  
Oh, don't know why  
I didn't come._

I woke up to the sound of Led Zeppelins "Going to California". The soft sounds of the guitar were enough to put me back to sleep.

"Honestly, who forgets to put the toilet seat down?" I heard Kate say downstairs. I didn't open my eyes, but the arms that were holding me tightened their grip.

"DiNozzo, that's who," Gibbs said. "Where is he, by the way?" That was when I opened my eyes. Tony must have heard them talking to, because he let go of me and moved out of my bed in a flash. He was sitting in my desk not but a second later, looking at me. I sat up, slightly confused, and looked at Gibbs when he opened the door.

"Of course." Gibbs glared at Tony, and then looked at me. I could see the wheels in his head turning.

"Morning Gibbs." Tony said cheerfully for someone who had just woken up. Gibbs glared at him again, moving out of the door.

"Breakfast is ready." He said. I heard him descend the stairs, and when I heard him reach the bottom, I looked at Tony. He was smiling.

"That was close David." He said. I glared at him, getting up. I stretched my arms above my head, knowing exactly what he was seeing. I yawned and walked over to him, sitting in his lap. He wrapped his arms around me immediately, his nose in my hair.

"Yes, it was." I said. I looked at him, and our faces were mere inches apart. I smirked, getting up.

_(Tony's POV)_

I watched as Ziva exited the room, her hand sliding around the doorframe. She was playing dirty, something I knew girls did best. She was just plain teasing me when she got up off my lap. She was just playing dirty.

After last night, I now had the liberty to kiss her anytime. I wasn't afraid she would kill me. And she knew that.

Hence why she was playing dirty.

I got up and made my way down the stairs, following my nose to a big pile of pancakes in the kitchen. Jenny handed me a stack and I sat down next to Ziva. She looked at me, a smirk on her face. I stuck my tongue out at her. Gibbs slapped my head and handed me the syrup. I didn't protest just poured syrup over my food.

"Sleep good last night?" Jenny asked no one in particular. I tried to swallow slowly, making sure my mouth was full when she looked at me.

"Yup. I was really comfortable." McGee said.

"I bet Tony was comfortable." Kate teased, and I glared at her. Abby laughed, along with Jenny. Gibbs stared me down. Ziva just kept eating her food.

"Ha ha." I said, taking another bite of my food. Kate smirked before finishing her pancakes and putting her plate in the sink.

"Thank you, for breakfast and letting me stay here last night." Kate said.

"Anytime Kate." Jenny said. Kate grabbed her bag and made her way outside.

"She's leaving?" Ziva asked, putting her plate in the sink too.

"Yeah. Her dad is picking her up at the end of the street." Gibbs said. He sipped on his coffee.

I finished my food and put my plate on the growing pile. I then followed Ziva up the stairs. When we entered her room, she looked at me.

"You looked like a deer caught in the tail lights."

"Head lights. Deer in the head lights." I corrected robotically, pulling her to me. She fell into my arms, smirking at me.

"Feeling feisty?" She said, her voice low. I ran my fingers along her bare stomach. She was still wearing her ninja costume. I had found one of my shirts in her nightstand and put it on before I slipped into her bed.

"No, just about to collect on a promise." I said, leaning down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around my neck as our lips melded together. We shuffled backwards until her back hit the wall. I moved my hand through her hair, the feeling of being so close to her overwhelming. She moaned as I ran my hand up her leg, stopping at her hip. As the need for air got ever so worse, she broke off.

"Tony, you're an amazing kisser." She whispered before attaching her lips to mine again. This time her tongue found its way into my mouth, and I reveled in the feeling. She just tasted and felt so good.

I stopped, pulling back. I took in a deep breath, clearing my head.

"We have to stop." I said bitterly. She looked into my eyes, and I fought myself from kissing her again.

"No, we don't." She said. I nodded.

"Yes, we do. We can do this some other time." I said. She groaned, pulling me back down for one more little kiss.

"Fine." She said, but she kept her arms around my waist. I kissed her hair.

"We're allowed to." I said. She smirked up at me.

"Oh, are you sure?" She said. I picked her up, making her eye level with me.

"I'm pretty sure you said yes." I whispered, remembering out conversation. She kissed my cheek, burying her face in my neck.

"You bet I did."

**

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**

**Can you figure it out, or will I have to tell you? I really don't want to tell you. Hey, send me your favorite _Description_ from this chapter. Not a quote, but something descriptive. :)**

**You guys rock with the reviews.**

_**Thanks, Izzy:)**_


	15. Chapter 15: October

I've decided to rant at the end of this chapter.

**Disclaimer: I own pain medication, for a back ache that won't go away.**

Chapter Fifteen: Surprises & The Best.

* * *

Monday came all too fast, the weekend disappearing before my eyes. I spent the weekend working, helping clean up after the rain. My mom finally got home from her "business" trip, and immediately put me to work. By the time we were done Sunday night, I walked back inside to a huge pile of homework. I sat down at the table, picking up my Chemistry book.

"How much homework do you have?" My mom asked as she sat down across from me. I nodded, looking over the papers I had to do. She moved her spoon around her ice tea.

"How have things been going?" I looked up at her, and she shrugged.

"Look, I'm sorry I just left and didn't tell you. But I had to go on an emergency trip. I left you money." She said. I shook my head, looking down at my work page.

"I didn't need the money Mom. I have a job." I honestly didn't need it. It wasn't like our refrigerator was empty and I didn't know how to cook for myself. My mom frowned, looking into her ice tea.

"I said I'm sorry Tony. I should have told you." She said. I nodded, not bothering to look up.

'"Your right." I said. Finally she sighed.

"Will you at least tell me what happened while I was gone?" I looked up at her, and saw the pleading look. She was trying, and it was enough to make me smile. My smile caused her to smile.

"Abby's annual Halloween party, that's what happened. It was fun." I said. Mom laughed, drinking her tea.

"How's Ziva?" I looked up at her, and I saw a knowing smile on her face. I felt a slight blush and scratching my ear.

"Well…." She laughed.

"Tony, you're eyes tell all." She said. I smiled at her.

"Well, if they tell all, what are they saying?" I asked her. She smirked at me, leaning forward.

"I may be mistaken, but I think you are in love." She said. I stopped, looking at her.

"In love?" I said, feeling my stomach flip.

"That's what I said wasn't it?" She said. "It just shows in your eyes when you think about her. It's the look that people in love get."

"I'll remember that." I said, looking back down at my paper. The phone rang, and she got up to answer it.

"Hello?" She answered. Her voice got quieter, and then she slipped out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I shook my head.

"Tony?" I looked up to see Ziva walking in. I smiled at her, patting the table next to me. She put her bag down on the floor, sitting next to me.

"Hey." I said, grabbing her hand. She smiled at me, running her thumb over the back of my hand.

"Your moms home?" She asked. I nodded.

"I doubt she'll stay long." I said. Ziva smiled at me.

"You sound bitter." She observed. I shrugged. She smiled, getting up to stand behind me. Her arms went around my neck, and she kissed my cheek.

"You'll be fine." She whispered in my ear. She didn't move, keeping her arms around me. I reached up and placed my hand over hers.

"I know." I said. She let me go, sitting down in the chair next to mine and pulling out her homework. We sat together, working on our homework. When we finished, I pushed all of my papers aside and looked at her. She smiled at me, reaching up to touch my cheek.

_(Ziva's POV)_

Tony smiled, his face showing all he was feeling. I could tell he was upset, even sad. He looked happy to see me walking in and even happier when I had snaked my arms around his neck. But he still seemed upset.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. He shook his head, holding my hand. I looked at him. He smiled.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired." He said. I looked up at the clock, and then back at him.

"Go to bed then." I said. He got up, letting go of my hand. I let him walk up the stairs before going after him. When I walked into his room, he was curled up under his blankets. He smiled at me as I walked over to him, kissing his forehead.

"I'll see you in the morning." I whispered.

--

School sucks. Not just because of the whole homework, and learning part. No, that was fine with me! And it had been fine for the first thee and half months or so. And that was probably because in almost every class, I sat next to Tony. We were even lab partners in Chemistry. But, suddenly every class had new seating charts.

And I found myself all the way across the room from Tony.

It started in math. Keaton moved us all around, and I was in the far back corner. Tony was in the other corner. It sucked, but I soon found myself laughing with the other people at my table. When we walked out, Tony grabbed my hand. We walked to the cafeteria together, and then to Chemistry when the bell rang. As soon as we walked inside, I had to bite my tongue. We had new seats, and new partners. Once again, I was in the back, and Tony was on the other side of the class room in the front.

"I had the computer randomize your seats." Ducky had explained. I tapped my pencil on my desk, causing the girl in front of me too look at me. I glared at her and she turned away. Sadly, she ended up being my lab partner.

Photography was the same old. It was fun, and we goofed around. Jimmy Palmer kept goofing off, tripping and almost breaking a camera.

The next day, we ended up doing testing in PE. I was partnered with another girl, and while the boys did part of their physical tests, the girls did the mile. When me and my partner finished, we walked back into the gym. And the guys walked out to the track. Not once did I see Tony long enough to say Hi.

When I walked into history, I was ready for it. I sat down in my new seat, and prepared myself. And did the same in English. I sulked.

I ducked out of English fast, and didn't jump when Tony's hand entwined with me. I looked up at him and smile.

"How are you, Zee-vah?" He drawled out my name. I smiled even wider.

"I want to get home." I said, and he smiled.

"I can do that." He pulled me down the hall to the student parking lot. I laughed as he picked me up and placed me down next to the passenger door.

"Thank you." I said, and he leaned down to kiss me. Someone dog whistled, and I blushed. Tony laughed at me, and walked around to the driver side. I opened the door and slipped in. Tony was already in his seat. When I put on my seat belt, he reached over and pulled me to face him. He kissed me softly, his lips going over mine slowly. When he pulled away, he smiled at me.

"That's better." He whispered. I slapped his cheek playfully, and he smirked. "Let's get home, yes?" He mocked. I stared forward, and he reached over to grab my hand. I didn't look at him, and halfway home he squeezed my hand. And I squeezed back.

When we got home, Kate was sitting in my back yard. I walked out and sat next to her, Tony plopping down with his feet in the pool.

"I love this pool." Kate said. I moved closer to her, and she wrapped her arm around my shoulders. Tony splashed water at us.

"Tony!" Kate said. I laughed, holding her hands back. She glared at me, but stopped when she saw my look.

"Ha ha Kate." Tony said. I glared at him and he shut up.

"How was your day?" She asked. I shrugged.

"She's mad because in the classes we have together, we don't sit next to each other anymore." Tony said, untying my shoe. I grabbed his hand, giving him a look.

"Tony, stop." I said. He smirked at me.

"I just want to take off your shoes." He said innocently. I released his hand and he untied them.

"Tony, you are so weird." Kate said. He shrugged, pulling both of my shoes off. I wiggled my toes in my socks.

"No, just different." I said. Kate laughed and Tony beamed.

"You guys are so… different." I laughed with Kate, but Tony just stared at us.

"Losers." He mumbled. I jerked my feet away from him. He looked at me, giving me puppy dog eyes.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs said, and Tony straightened up. "I need you to do something." Tony stood up, grabbing his shoes.

"What?" Tony asked. Gibbs handed him a piece of paper, and Tony smiled.

"Well, go." Gibbs said. Tony bounded up into the house, and I looked at Gibbs.

"What was that all about?" I asked. He shrugged.

"You'll see." He said. Kate looked at me, and then up at Gibbs. Then she looked back at me, and we both shrugged.

"Wanna go for a swim?" Kate asked. I smiled.

"Sure."

We changed into swim suits, Kate borrowing one of mine, and then jumped in. We splashed around, having a water fight. I swam around her, but she grabbed my leg. Before I knew it, she had pulled me back and was dunking my head under the water. I slipped away, and splashed water in her face. She screamed, and splashed some back. I swam away as fast as I could, but she was just as fast. She caught up with me at on the edge.

"Having fun in there ladies?" Jenny asked as she sat down next to the pool. I splashed Kate again, and then swam away.

"Hey!" She yelled swimming after me.

_(Jenny's POV)_

I watched Kate and Ziva play in the pool. It wasn't that warm, and they had still gotten changed and jumped in. They were laughing, chasing each other up and down the pool. Ziva looked like a kid for once, her face lit up in joy. Kate looked exactly the same, but it wasn't that much of a contrast from her normal face. They looked like 6 year olds, not 16year olds. They looked like they were having such good fun.

It was going to be awful when Ziva had to leave.

No. I pushed that thought aside, looking at them again.

Ziva squealed as Kate grabbed her waist, pulling her across the pool. Kate threw Ziva in the deep end, and laughed as she came up spitting water. Ziva grabbed Kate and pulled her all the way back across the pool. Kate shrieked, and pulled at Ziva's arms. Ziva pulled Kate down with her, and they both came up shaking their wet heads.

"Race you." Ziva said, and suddenly they were racing across the pool. The water splashed, a light spray hitting my legs. They finished at one side, and swam back to the other. I smiled at them as they both stopped, laughing.

"Okay, tie." Kate said. Ziva laughed, hanging onto the edge of the pool.

"I'm tired." Ziva said, pulling herself out of the pool. I threw her a towel, and she wrapped it around herself. Kate did the same, and they both scooted closer together. They whispered to each other, and I saw Ziva smirk. Kate laughed, scratching her face. I heard someone laugh inside, and looked at the patio. Tony walked down the stairs, his eyes on Ziva. He wasn't staring at her body; his eyes had some sort of softness to them.

"I'm finished Jenny." He said to me, looking down at me. I smiled at him, and got up.

"Thanks Tony. Do you want to wait to see her reaction?" I looked over at Ziva, and he smiled.

"Yes I would." He said. I laughed at him.

"Ziva, hurry inside." I said. She looked at me quizzically, but nodded. I walked inside, Tony right behind me. He smiled, looking down at the box that was sitting on the living room floor. Ziva walked in, looking at the big box. She looked at Tony, then at me.

"What is this?" Ziva asked, looking at the tape closing the box. She stepped over it, sizing it up

"This box is huge." She observed. She was right. The box was big enough to hold a human.

"Just get changed and come back down stairs." I said. She smiled at Tony before slipping up stairs. Kate followed her.

"What's in the box?" Tim asked as he reached out to touch the box. Tony grabbed his hand, giving him a disapproving look.

"Ah, don't do that McTouchy." Tony said, and Tim glared at him. He walked away from the box, and I smiled at Tony.

"Did Jethro really-"Tony cut me off.

"Yes, Gibbs really did." Tony said. He was smiling from ear to ear.

"Well, Ziva's going to be really happy. By the way, who came up with this idea?" I asked, looking at my husband as he walked in.

"Abby, Tony, myself; joint effort." Jethro said, walking over to the box. He bent down next to it, his lips moving. I laughed a little, and he looked at me.

"Well, you're talking to a box." I said. He smiled, standing up. He walked over to me, wrapping his arm around my waist.

"And now, I'm talking to you." I glared at him, looking at Ziva as she walked in. Her hair was braided at the back of her head, and she was dressed in shorts and a plain green t-shirt. Tony grabbed her hand, and Ziva seemed to shuffle up next to him, almost unconsciously. It was cute.

"So, what's in the box?" She asked, looking up at Tony. Tony just smiled.

"You'll see." He said. Ziva looked skeptical.

"I don't like surprises, and as far as I know, there is no holiday this week, or next week. So, why the box?" She asked, looking down at it. She was thinking; I could see it in her eyes. Kate just patted her arm.

"You'll like this. I have a feeling." Kate said.

"Well, open it then." Jethro said, and Ziva shrugged. She broke free of Tony's hand, sitting down on the ground to undo the tape on the box. She picked at it carefully, pulling it off in one piece. As soon as she had taken off the strip that held the box together, the person inside jumped out. She tackled Ziva to the ground, and Ziva nearly screamed.

"Tali!" Ziva said, pulling her sister down into her embrace. The young girl laughed, falling into her sisters arms.

_(Ziva's POV)_

Tali.

It was Tali.

My sister, my best friend.

She was _here, _with _me._

My head was spinning as I sat up, and she sat next to me. I looked at her again, and pulled her into another hug. I was so happy, so excited, so….. I couldn't think of a word.

"Ziva, I missed you." Tali whispered, her arms around my neck. I couldn't believe it. She was here, in America.

"What… what are you doing here?" I asked, looking at her face. She looked just as I remembered.

"Your friend Abby called. Said it would be a nice surprise." She said. She shrugged, and looked up at where Abby sat.

"I'm guessing you are Abby, yes?" She said. Tali stood, and shook Abby's hand. Abby just smiled.

"Nice to finally meet you Tali. I've heard so much about you." Abby said. I stood up next to Tali, my excitement rolling off me in waves. Tali looked at me.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me? I already know Gibbs, and Tony over there." She said, giving me a look when she said Tony. I ignored it.

"Well, this is Jenny." I said, motioning to Jenny. Tali shook Jenny's hand, a smile on her face.

"Pleasure." Jenny said. Tali didn't answer.

"Tim, or McGee as Tony calls him." Tim stood up, offering his hand to Tali. She smiled at him.

"McGee." She said. Tim scowled a little.

"And that over there is Kate." I said, and Kate stepped up next to me.

"It's so nice to meet you." Kate said. Tali smiled wide at Kate.

"You too." Tali said. She then turned to me, and wrapped her arms around my waist. I smiled, wrapping mine around her. I then looked at Gibbs.

"Why did you do this?" I asked. Gibbs shrugged.

"It was mainly Tony and Abby's idea. Well, mostly Tony's. Abby just jumped in." He explained. He smiled at Abby, and gave a slight grin to Tony. I looked at him. I didn't ask now, instead focused on my sister who was attached to my side.

--

Tali fell asleep, curling up on the couch. The time difference was messing her up, and her head had finally drooped completely. I laid her out, and covered her in a blanket. Looking up at the clock, I realized that only three hours had passed. It was 7:30. I moved into the kitchen, and saw Gibbs and Jenny sitting together. They were talking quietly, and Jenny giggled. I backed out slowly, not wanting to interrupt their moment. I walked up the stairs, my feet leading me down to Abby's room. She, Tony, and McGee were sitting there on the floor, playing cards. Tony looked up at me when I entered, and smiled.

"Nice to see you." He said. I sat down next to him, wrapping my arms around him. He wrapped his arm around me, placing some of his cards down in the stack.

"What are you playing?" I asked.

"Poker. Tony's winning." Tim said grudgingly. Tony laughed.

"Of course McLoser." He said. He put all of his cards down, looking at me.

"I fold." Tony said, pulling me up. He pulled me into my room, and shut the door. As soon as it was shut, I pushed him up against the wall and kissed him. His hands went around my body, pulling me closer to him. I ran my fingers into his hair, and pulled my lips back. I kept our faces close, our foreheads together.

"You are the best boyfriend, ever. It's official." I said. He purred playfully, his hands rubbing my arms. I giggled quietly, and he smiled.

"I made you giggle." He said proudly. I giggled again, and he smiled even wider.

"So?" I said. He smirked.

"Just proves your point. I'm the best boyfriend ever."

* * *

_Can I first say this:_

_If Ziva can't see that Tony loves her by now, I think she's stupid and blind. I'm talking about the new episode. You know, the one where Micheal is messing around with Ziva, and it almost made me want to PUKE! I blocked him out with two fingers when his face was on the TV._

BUT! I must say, I was jumping with antipication for the next episode. Tony and Micheal fighting, .on!!!! I jsut hope Tony doesn't die. Please, no! Gosh, anywho. I'm just so angry and pissed and just.. grr. Don't... get... me ... started. Gosh.  
  
**Back to the chapter: Some of you didn't get what I was kind of hinting last chapter, so there it is. The last line says it all. :) It's cute and adorable. This chapter was written while watching Legend. And getting angry and almost deleting it. So, be thankful I have patience with my fingers.**

Reviews, maybe make me feel better with a joke or something. I'm kind of angry at Micheal, and Ziva for sleeping with him. GRR.

Anywho, haha.

_Thanks, Izzy(:_


	16. Chapter 16: November

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, just thought of the idea. :) Yay me.**

Chapter Sixteen: The Things I'm Thankful For.

* * *

One month seemed like two days to me. Between spending time with Tali, hanging out with Tony, and doing school work, time flew. Before I knew it, my dad was scheduled to visit. Tony seemed to be nervous, but hid it when I was around. Tali was going home with my father, so as it came closer to my dad's arrival, Gibbs decided to go to take us all out to dinner.

"Tony can even come." Gibbs said lightly. Tony laughed bitterly, but nodded at the invite. It was a Friday night that we went, and Tali sat on my bed, waiting for me to pick out an outfit.

"You'll look fine no matter what, and Tony will think you look beautiful even if you wore a potato sack." She said, and I glared at her. She smirked, smoothing out her dress over her legs. I sighed, looking at the few dresses I had. They all seemed summery; light, colorful, and short. Tali got up to stand behind me, looking into my huge closet. She reached forward and grabbed a dress from the depths of the clothes. She held it up for me, and I scrunched up my nose.

It was dark green, made of cotton, and flowed gently. I reached forward and ran my fingers over it, noticing the length. Yeah, it was November, but what would it hurt to wear something that looked like a summer dress.

"Okay." I said.

Tali smirked at me as she handed me the dress, and I slipped it on. It stopped at my knees, the tank top like straps not but two inches wide. That was when Tali's smirk got even wider.

"Oh this will be good." She said. I looked at her, and she just kept smirking. I found my converse, deciding that I would wear them with this dress. All of my fancy shoes didn't seem to fit.

Tali dragged me out of my room just as Abby walked out of her own. She looked at me, and smiled.

"You look cute Ziva." She observed, smoothing her own skirt. As usual, she was wearing black. But her fancy black shirt and somewhat conservative skirt looked good on her. I followed her down the stairs, and was met by Jenny and Gibbs. Jenny was wearing a nice dress, her hair let down and flowing. Gibbs stood next to her, wearing a button up shirt and tie.

"You girls all look beautiful." Jenny said, smoothing her hand over my hair. I smiled at her, and she looked at the door as Tony walked in. He was wearing a tie and button up shirt like Gibbs, but his shirt was dark blue.

"Hey." He said. I smiled at him, and he returned it.

"Your tie is messed up Tony." Gibbs said, reaching over to fix it. Tony laughed, letting Gibbs tighten the tie so it was just right.

"Thanks Gibbs." Tony said, moving so he was standing next to me. I entwined my fingers with his, and he squeezed my hand. Tony was driving me and Tali, so Abby and Tim went with Jenny and Gibbs. I got in the front seat of Tony's car, Tali sliding into the back.

"You look nice." Tony said in my ear as he followed Gibbs down the road. I knew that after a while, Tony would lose him. But Tony knew where he was going.

"Thanks." I said back, and Tali coughed. I looked at her, and she smirked.

"Is the restaurant nice?" Tali asked, adverting her eyes from mine. Tony looked over at me.

"It's amazing." He said. He drove down town, the lights of the town bright. People were walking around, their Friday night clothes on.

Tony pulled into the parking garage, and parked in an empty spot. I got out, pulling my dress down as I did. Tali stood next to me, her long sleeve dress ending at her mid calves. Her shoes clacked against the cement as she walked across to the elevator. Tony grabbed my hand again, holding it tenderly.

We got into the elevator, and I was surprised to see Gibbs, Jenny, Abby and Tim in there as if waiting. We rode down, light banter filling the car. I pulled my arm around my waist, trying to keep myself warm. We walked out into the night air, heading down into the square. Tali was looking around, her face lit up by the lights. Gibbs led us all to the restaurant, and Tony looked at me. I smiled at him, trying to hide how cold I was. We were led to a large table in the back of the restaurant, and the waiter bowed out. Tony pulled out a chair for me and for Tali, and waited until we sat down to sit down himself. I saw the look Gibbs gave him, but it wasn't one of amusement.

Soon, our waiter came back to take our orders for drinks. I smiled at Tony as he told the waiter exactly what I wanted, feeling a little giddy.

"What are you going to order?" He asked me, his hand on my knee. I felt warmth spread over my body, and tried my best to ignore it.

"I'm not sure." I said, looking over the menu. Everything sounded good, but I wasn't sure what I was really hungry for.

"There's too much good stuff." Tali said, her finger going over the menu. I smiled at her, and watched as Jenny leaned over and helped her. Abby had already chosen her food, and was now talking to Tim. Gibbs just sat, watching us. I looked back up at Tony.

"What are you getting?" I asked. He pointed to one of the dishes, and I nodded. When the waiter came back, he took all of our orders. When he got to me, I paused. I didn't know what to say, so Tony seemed answered.

"She's not getting anything." He said. The waiter nodded, taking all of our menus. When he left, I looked up at Tony.

"I'm hungry though." I said. He nodded.

"I know."

I sat there, looking at him. He smiled, laughing quietly.

"We'll share." He said. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Jenny and Tali were still talking, Gibbs adding his two cents every now and then. Abby and Tim kept hitting each other's arms, gently. I looked up at Tony again.

"I like your dress." He said. I smiled at him, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"I like your shirt." I said. His fingers went over the fabric of my dress, and I felt his fingers just barely touch my skin.

"Isn't this one of your summer dresses?" He asked, and I was slightly taken back by his observation.

"You noticed?" I asked. His laugh shook my head on his shoulder.

"You think I don't pay attention? I remember more than you think Ziva." He whispered. I looked up at him.

"Oh really?" I asked. He nodded.

"I remember that the first time I saw you, you were wearing cargo pants, and a white t-shirt. I remember that the first time I felt butterflies around you was when you walked out onto the patio in a pink summer dress." He took a breath, "I remember going shopping, and how you were all nervous, but you looked great in those jeans. I remember when we sat next to the bathrooms during third period and you first opened up to me a little. I remember the look on your face when I caught you and Abby talking about me." He took another breath, but I didn't let him go on.

I leaned up and kissed him softly, smiling.

"Tony, you're amazing." I whispered. He smiled at me, his arm going around my waist. It was then that our food arrived, and the waiter set Tony's in front of him. He had ordered really good looking pasta, with chicken on the side. I took a drink of my water while everyone moved to start to eat their food.

"Mm." I heard Tali say next to me. I smiled at her elegant salad, and she picked up a piece of lettuce to feed me. I smiled, taking the fork and feeding myself. Tony touched my shoulder, and I looked at him. He was smiling, hold out a piece of bread. I took it, grinning, and took a bite.

_(Gibbs POV)_

Maybe it was me, or maybe it wasn't, but Tony and Ziva were captivating.

I'm not that big of a romantic guy, and I know that. But watching Tony and Ziva just sit there and share Tony's pasta; it was captivating and…. well, cute.

Although, I don't think cute was the right word. I'm not the romantic or sentimental kind.

Tony twirled his fork in his pasta, and then took a bite. He saw me watching and waved. I nodded at him.

"Enjoying your burger Gibbs?" He asked. I looked down at the half eaten burger, and shrugged. Ziva must have touched Tony's leg, because he looked down at her. He then smiled, and twirled some more pasta on his fork. He then fed her the pasta.

"They make it look easy." Jenny said, and I looked at her. She was smiling.

"They sure do." I said. She took my hand, grabbing one of my fries.

"You know what the saddest thing is?" She asked, not looking up from our entwined hands.

"Not really."

"They really do love each other, even if they have only known each other for 4 months. And, after a whole 10 months, they are going to love each other even more. And then Ziva has to go home."

I looked at my wife, and saw that she looked sad. I squeezed her hand.

"It's all going to work out." I said. She raised an eyebrow.

"You're gut telling you something?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, it's saying everything is going to be alright. They'll find a way." Jenny sighed, looking back at them. Ziva was laughing, holding a hand in front of her mouth. Tony wasn't laughing, more of glaring.

"Not funny McRuiner." Tony shot at McGee. I smiled. McGee laughed at Tony, and Abby giggled.

"Am I missing something?" I asked Tali. She just shook her head, laughing too. I looked at Jenny, who was laughing a little herself.

"What?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I guess you had to be there."

--

_(Tony's POV)_

I glared at McGee yet again as we sat in Gibbs' living room. He laughed at me, making a flicking motion with his fingers. Ziva laughed from next to me, her hand on my leg.

"It's not funny McRuiner." I said again. McGee just grinned.

"Well, if they laugh you know it is." He said. I was about to retort when Abby stopped us.

"Guys, stop it. Yeah, it was funny. Tony get over it, Tim stop it." She said, patting McGee's cheek lightly.

"You guys need to go to bed. I know that tomorrow is the weekend, but go to bed." Jenny said. I looked up at her, smirking.

"Tony, don't even." She said. I chuckled.

Ziva disappeared up the stairs, with Tali following. Abby also disappeared up the stairs, and it was just me and McGee.

"Crap." McGee mumbled. I looked at him.

"Problem McGee?" I asked. He looked warily at me, and shook his head.

"I don't have a way to get home." He said. I smiled.

"I'll drive you." I said. McGee looked scared. "I'm not going to kill you." I added. McGee shrugged.

"Okay." He said. We said goodbye to Gibbs and Jenny before getting into my car.

"Don't touch anything." I said to him. He nodded, taking off his tie. I undid my own, and started the car.

"So, I was thinking." McGee started. I waited for him to continue. He took in a breath.

"Have you thought about when Ziva goes back to Israel?"

I almost lost control of the car.

Truthfully, I tried not to. I didn't want to think about when she was going to leave and go back. I tried hard not to when we were sitting around, laughing. I tried to only think about tomorrow.

McGee coughed.

"I'm sorry Tony-"

"No, don't apologize. You're just curious." I said, running my fingers through my hair. I sighed.

"Let's put it this way. When is there a day when I not think about it? Because, honestly, it pops into my mind a lot. I just push it out." I said. McGee nodded.

"It's going to be hard to see her go." It wasn't a question, more of a statement. I kept my eyes on the road, pulling down a street. McGee sighed.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I couldn't resist it though." He said. I smiled.

"No big deal. You were just having fun. Spaghetti flicked in your face with a fork just as your about to kiss your girlfriend is good every once in a while." We both laughed, and McGee shifted in his seat.

"Well, it was really funny." McGee said. I nodded, my brain still on his earlier question.

We sat in silence, the only sound my car. It was well after 1 AM, and I could tell McGee was tired. When I pulled up out front of his house, he smiled at me.

"Thanks Tony." He said as he got out. I waited until he was inside before driving back home, my brain reeling.

--

I woke up sweating, my sheets wrapped around my legs. Never before in my life had I been so terrified.

My dream, no nightmare, had been terrible. Not only that but it had also been my worst fear.

Swinging my feet out of my bed, I sat on the edge. I reached over and opened my window, letting the cold night air hit me. I whipped the sweat off my forehead and face, and sighed.

"It's not going to happen." I reassured myself. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I got up, walking down the stairs to the kitchen. I got a glass and filled it with water. I didn't drink it though, just stood there.

_I have to go Tony._

I walked out into the backyard, looking up at the stars.

_I don't love you. I never have._

I shook my head, knowing that thought to be incredulous. I sat down on the steps, the cold night air clearing my head. That dream had been stupid, wrong; yet it was scary and somewhat plausible. There was something real about it all, like it could happen and was going to. But it wouldn't, it couldn't.

I looked up at the moon from behind the clouds, praying that it wouldn't.

I sighed, moving back inside.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I woke up next to Tali on the floor, her arms wrapped around my stomach. I smiled at her, kissing her forehead. She squeezed me, and looked up at me.

"Are you okay now?" She asked. I stared at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. She sat up, her hand pushing back hair off my face.

"Last night. You were tossing, turning, mumbling, and crying. I was scared. That was until I pulled you down here and pulled you close. Then you stopped." I stared.

"I was…. doing all of that?" I asked, reaching to scratch my nose. I felt something sticky, and cringed. I grabbed a tissue and blew my nose. Tali handed me a comb, and I ran it through my hair. It was knotted and messed up tragically. I groaned, pulling my hair. Tali smiled sympathetically at me before grabbing the comb from me and pulling out the knots gently.

"Do you remember what you were dreaming about?" She asked from behind me. I cringed a little, shivers going up my back.

"It wasn't a dream." I said. Tali nodded, her fingers gently pulling my hair into sections.

"What was it about?" She asked. I wrung my hands around each other, my heart aching as I remembered.

"It was about leaving." I said. Tali stopped combing my hair, and wrapped her arms around me.

"It's okay." She whispered. "It's going to be alright. Don't think about it."

I nodded, tears falling out of my eyes.

Tali finished combing my hair, and we walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Jenny saw my face, and hugged me.

"Morning sweetie." She said. I smiled, hugging her back. She kissed my cheek and looked at me. I smiled the best smile I could.

"Morning." I said. Jenny just smiled sympathetically, and moved over to the sink. I sat down, taking a drink of the water Jenny placed in front of me. Gibbs walked in, doing a double take when he saw me. I could only guess I looked a mess, because his look was one of shock. I looked up as Jenny handed me a cloth, and she motioned for me to wipe off my face. I did as I was told, the cold water feeling good against my hot face. I handed her back the cloth, and she smiled.

"All better." She said. I smiled back at her, taking another sip of my water.

"Tough night?" Gibbs asked me. I looked at him, and he just nodded. He grabbed a new cup of coffee before walking outside.

"Morning DiNozzo." I heard Gibbs say, and I looked up at Tali. Before I could register what I was doing exactly, I ran up the stairs and into my room. I leaned up against the door, not knowing why I was so panicked all of a sudden. It was just Tony.

Tony.

Tony, the one who in my dream, no nightmare, the night before hadn't even said goodbye to me when I left. Hadn't even tried to stop me, or just try to show he cared. He just let me go, his eyes not sad, not caring. He just stood there in his room, not even bothering to listen to me as I said goodbye.

But, that wasn't the Tony downstairs. No.

I had to calm myself. I was overreacting. Majorly. I took a deep breath, calming myself.

It was just a dream, nightmare.

A nightmare.

"Ziva?"

Tony's voice startled me, and I jumped a little. I didn't move from the door, my weight holding the door closed

"Yes?" I asked. I heard his breathing.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Through the door, I could hear his care.

"Umm…" I said. I heard him chuckle, and then he tried to open the door. I kept my weight on it, knowing that he wouldn't push it open if that meant he would hurt me.

"Can I come in?" He asked. I took in a deep breath. I stepped away from the door, and Tony walked in. He closed the door, and turned to look at me. He gave me the same look Jenny had given me earlier, and I guessed that my face was still messed up from last night. He didn't move, his eyes moving over my face. I self consciously reached up to touch my hair and he smiled. He reached out and pulled me into a hug. I suddenly felt better, my worries and woes gone in a second. I wrapped my arms around his torso, burying my face into his chest. There, I feel the beating of his heart, steady and true. It made me smile.

"Are you okay?" He whispered. I nodded, his soft shirt rubbing against my cheek. We didn't move, and I felt warm all over. Finally, he looked down at me.

"Then why is your face all red and blotchy, like you've been crying?" His green eyes were full of care, enough to make me feel weak in the knees.

"Because, I was." I said. He moved so he was sitting in my desk chair, me in his lap.

"Why?" He whispered in my ear. I felt a shiver go up my spine. Being this close to him, and him being this tender; it made me go nuts.

"I had a…. dream." I whispered into his shirt.

"If you were crying, I would think it was a nightmare." He whispered back.

"I hope it's only that." I said quietly. But he still heard me.

"It was about leaving, wasn't it?"

I looked up at him. He looked sad, and that was when I saw the bags under his eyes, as if he had gotten no sleep at all.

"Yes, but how did you know?" I asked, confused. He smiled weakly.

"I had a dream about you leaving last night." He whispered softly. I reached up and grabbed his face, looking into his eyes. I kissed him softly, leaning my forehead against his.

"This Thursday is Thanksgiving, is it not?" I asked. Tony nodded.

"It is." He said.

"And it is custom to…. state what you are thankful for on that day, yes?" Tony nodded. I kissed him again.

"Can I say it early?" I asked. Tony smiled at me, and nodded.

"Of course." He said. I looked into his eyes, kissing him again. He shut his eyes, and I smiled.

"I am thankful for you." I said, before kissing him again.

"And I'm thankful for you."

--

_(Jenny's POV)_

I looked up as a car pulled up outside, the windows dark. I knew who it was, and cursed. Ziva was already in a bad mood, hopefully one Tony could fix fast, and now her father was here.

"Shit." I said louder, getting the attention of my husband. He looked up from the table.

"Something wrong?" He asked. I nodded, whipping off my hands on a towel.

"Eli David is here." I said as the doorbell rang. Jethro stood up, walking over to the door. I stood behind him, and was utterly confused when he opened the door to reveal a kid that looked to be a little older than Ziva.

"May I help you?" Jethro asked, looking at the kid. He looked like he could be six feet, dark hair and eyes. But his eyes sparkled, like stars in the sky. When he smiled, his perfect white teeth looked like piece of gum in a straight row. Something told me, most likely my "gut", that he was a nice guy.

"I'm Ari, Ziva's older half brother. Her father sent me." He said. I could feel Gibbs' stare, even from behind him. I looked at the boy, and then looked up at the stairs. When I looked back at Gibbs, he was looking at me.

"Get Ziva." He said softly. I nodded, moving across the kitchen and up the stairs. I thanked God as I walked that Abby and Tali had left to go to Kate's.

Even though Tali was Ari's sister, it just seemed best for Ziva to see him herself first.

I knocked on Ziva's door, and the hushed whispered stopped. I heard movement, and the door opened to reveal Tony.

"Hi Jenny." He said. He looked a lot happier than he had earlier. I smiled.

"Where is Ziva?" I asked. Suddenly, Ziva's head popped out from under Tony's arm. He moved to let her stand more comfortably.

"Yes Jen?" She asked. She too looked happier, and it just made me smile wider.

"Someone is here to see you." I said. Ziva's face fell, as she put two and two together.

Too bad she wasn't getting five, but four.

Tony grabbed her hand, and they moved down the stairs in front of me. I followed, seeing how close together they walked. When we entered the kitchen, I saw Ziva look at Ari. She let go of Tony's hand, and had her brother in a hug in a matter of seconds.

"Ziva." Ari said, his arms wrapping around his sister. Tony looked at me, confused.

"More family?" He asked, sounding slightly amused. I nodded.

"Half brother." I said. His mouth formed an 'o' as he looked back at Ziva. She was speaking rapidly in Hebrew to her brother, their words sounding excited. Then, Ziva turned to me.

"Ari's staying for Thanksgiving, along with Tali." She said, her eyes lit up. Tony smiled, reaching up to touch her cheek. She smiled at him, hugging him in excitement. Ari looked at them for a second before looking at me.

"You don't mind do you? My dad kind of sent me here for a little while. I don't traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving, but some people on the plane ride were talking about it and I thought it would be fun to spend it with Ziva and Tali before me and Tali left." He said, his voice smooth. I nodded, finding no problem with it.

"That would be lovely."

Ziva's smile got even wider, and her bad day suddenly seemed to turn great.

* * *

Long authors note today. Bear with me. :)

First off: Star Trek is the most, amazing, spetacular, super movie EVER! Oh my gosh!!! See it in IMAX. :)

Secondly: Sorry for not posting this sooner. I actuallly just finished this now. I've known how this chapter was going to go for a while, but I just had to get it out on paper. I had a hectic week, with not getting enough sleep, testing, PE and family stuff. But, I found time tonight to finish this. I sat down, turned on my iPod, and wrote.

So, because I was thinking about this for a while now, but here is another proposition :)

I get up to 280 reviews, or higher, in the next chapter will be a lot of Kate and Ari interaction. I know that some of you don't want them to be romantically involved, but I have an idea. Since he is leaving after about a week, they most likely will talk for most of this story though e-mails and letters and stuff. So, there won't be a lot of **obvious** Kari, but it will be here. For the ending I have planned, or at least one of them, he has to be with Kate. :)

So, do it. Review, make me happy. The highest number of reviews I've gotten on a chapter was 25. Make me happy and proud. I'll even add some McGabby, because I think they need some more. And Jibbs. How about a whole chapter of fluff.

Now I'm outdoing myself. Haha.

Until next chapter!

_Izzy(:_


	17. Chapter 17: November

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

Chapter Seventeen: One in Six Billion

* * *

I woke up on Wednesday, warm and content. Tali was lying next to me, her arms spread out across the air mattress. Ari was already awake, and was sitting at my desk.

"Good Morning." He said. I looked up at him and groaned. I already knew it was too early.

"Ari, why are you up so early?" I said into my pillow. He laughed.

"I am always up early Ziva." He said. I nodded, finally waking up. I sat up, effectively waking Tali. She groaned, looking up at me. I stood up, stretching my arms above my head. I yawned, walking out the door. Ari followed, holding open the door for Tali. We walked down the stairs, Tali stumbling as she woke up slowly.

"Morning guys." Jenny said as we walked in. Ari pulled out chairs for me and Tali before sitting down. Jenny looked at us, smiling.

"What do you guys want of breakfast?" She asked.

"I'm not hungry." I said. I grabbed my shoes and Tony's sweatshirt and slipped them on. I walked out the back door, jumping over the back fence into Tony's back yard. His mom had left to go on yet another business meeting, leaving Tony alone in the house. I knew he was upset that he wouldn't be spending Thanksgiving with his mom, but I had convinced him to spend it with me.

I walked inside, shutting the sliding door quietly behind me. I saw Tony's binder on the floor in the living room, and smiled. Walking up the stairs, I kept myself quiet. I didn't want to wake him from his slumber. When I walked into his room, I smiled immediately. He was lying on his bed, on top of the blankets, in his pajamas. His arms were under his head, and I could see some drool next to his mouth. I smiled even wider, moving over next to his bed. I kicked off my shoes, moving over Tony to lay in between him and the wall. He turned onto his side, his arm moving around me.

"Mmm, Ziva." He mumbled, and I smiled. He kissed my hair softly, pulling me even closer. He went back to sleep, his breathing calm and even. I listened to it, glad I came over. I knew he loved it when I woke him up or he woke up next to me. He loved it and said it made his day.

"Ziva?" He whispered. I opened my eyes, and saw his sleepy green eyes. He smiled sheepishly at me before kissing my forehead. I felt some butterflies in my stomach.

"Good Morning." He said.

"Good Morning to you too."

We laid there in silence, our breathing the only sounds we made. His hands rubbed my back, and I smiled.

"There is no school today." I whispered. Tony sighed.

"Thank god." He said. I laughed, and we fell back into a comfortable silence.

Tony sighed, and stretched his arms out above his head. He opened his eyes and looked down at me, smiling.

"What is Jenny doing today?" He asked randomly. I shrugged.

"Most likely cooking and getting ready for tomorrow." He nodded.

"She's really good at cooking Thanksgiving dinner." He stated, rolling over onto his back. I sat up, putting my hand on his chest. He smiled up at me, putting his hand on top of mine. We smiled at each other before he pulled me down next to him. I laughed quietly, wrapping my arms around his torso.

"Thanksgiving's going to be better." I said. Tony laughed.

"Great. Going to be great."

--

_(Jenny's POV)_

"Timmy! Give me that back!" Abby yelled, jumping up on Tim's back as she tried to grab her phone back from him. I laughed as Tim staggered under the sudden weight on his back. Jethro sipped on his coffee, a slight smile on his face

"Abby, get off!" He said, but Abby just reached over his shoulder and tried to grab her phone. I moved around them, flipping the can of corn over in my hands. I sat it down on the counter, grabbing a can opener.

"What are we having for Thanksgiving dinner?" Jethro asked, walking up behind me. I looked at him over my shoulder.

"Turkey, mash potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce. The usual." I said. He looked at the can in my hands.

"And that's for?"

"Stuffing." I said. He nodded.

"I love stuffing." He said. I laughed, dumping the excess water into the sink. I dumped the corn into my already filled bowl, stirring it around.

"Where's Ziva?" He asked, and I turned to look at him.

"Tony's." I said. He nodded, sipping on his coffee some more. Ari walked in, sitting down at the table with Jethro.

"Jethro, Jenny." He said. Jethro nodded at him.

"Enjoying yourself Ari?" Jethro asked, and Ari nodded.

"I'm greatly enjoying it here." Ari said. I covered up the stuffing, putting it into the fridge.

"Ziva was very excited to see you." I stated, and Ari nodded.

"We are all close, Tali, Ziva and I. When Ziva applied to be an exchange student, Tali and I knew that it would be hard to be away from her. Tali was so excited when you called her. She couldn't wait to leave. I had to practically threaten my father to let me come here instead of him. When he finally gave in, I was just as excited as Tali had been." Ari explained. "I was excited to see her too."

"Well, you and Tali are welcome back anytime. Ziva just seems even happier with you guys here." I said.

"She is happy anyway. Tony seems to keep her preoccupied." Ari observed. Jethro laughed.

"Yeah, pretty preoccupied." He said. Ari and I laughed, but Ari shook his head.

"How long have they been dating?" Ari asked.

"Since Halloween, I think." I said.

"Only a month and they are that close?"

"They were close from the beginning." Jethro stated. I thought about that for a minute.

"They got closer through the whole Micheal debacle." Ari looked up at me.

"Tony wasn't happy with it?"

"Not exactly." I said, and Jethro laughed.

"Not exactly my ass. He was furious." Jethro grinned.

"My father doesn't approve of them. I think he is overreacting."

I looked at Jethro, who looked at Ari after a second.

"What has he done to make you think he's overreacting?" I asked him, sitting down at the table. Ari paused, his hands frozen as he centered his shirt.

"He's…. threatened many people, just because he is angry. He thinks that because one of his daughters is dating someone, they are going to marry them. That is why he choose Micheal. He wants Ziva to marry Micheal. To bad for him, Ziva doesn't like him. So, when he heard about Ziva supposedly setting him up and getting him drunk, he almost killed three men. Although, I've seen him do much worse. But, the icing on the cake was when he called here. He said she was disrespectful towards him. I think, once again, he was just overreacting. He threw a couple fits, yelled at some more people, but I finally got him to calm down."

I stared at Ari, noticing the slight smile that was on his face. I didn't say anything though. Abby walked in, finally carrying her phone, and Kate was right behind her.

I looked at Jethro, and knew what he was thinking.

Kate and Ari had some sort of… chemistry. It was hard to explain. They had met when Abby came home from her house the day Ari arrived. I didn't know what was going on, but Ari had offered to drive her home. When he came back, he seemed to have a lightness to him.

"Abigail, Caitlin." Ari said. He didn't all anyone by their nicknames, but rather their full names. Abby smiled at him, and Kate seemed to blush.

"Mom, I was wondering where Ziva was?" Abby asked. I looked out into the living room, pointing to the patio door.

"There."

Ziva walked into the living room, her hand clasped in Tony's. She smiled at Abby as she bounced across the room, meeting her halfway. She leaned forward and whispered something into Ziva's ear, and Ziva smiled.

"Alright." Ziva said, moving around Abby and into the kitchen. Tony followed, patting Abby on the head as he walked by. Ari looked up at his sister.

"Good… afternoon Ziva." Ari said with a smirk. Ziva threw him a look, but smiled all the same. It was then that I realized how crowded the kitchen was. I grabbed Jethro's arm, pulling him out of his seat and up the stairs.

"Something wrong, Jen?" He asked. I pulled him down the hall, and into our room.

"It was just overly crowded in that kitchen. Besides, I'm done cooking now. I have no need to be in there." I said. He just shrugged, sitting down at his desk in the corner.

"Still, why did you drag me up here?" He said.

"Because, I think the kids should have some time together with out us watching. And without you giving them that look." I said, and laughed as he gave me the look.

"That one."

"I give it to them because they need someone to tell them to stop."

"Stop what, being kids?"

"Stop grabbing ass."

I laughed, and moved over to sit on his desk.

"You know, just be glad they are doing it with clothes on." I said. He looked up at me, and smirked.

"Oh yeah. I feel so much better now." He joked. I smiled as he put his hand on my hand.

"Just, let them be kids." I said.

"Kids don't play grab ass. They play jacks."

"Then get them some."

--

_(Kate's POV)_

Maybe it was me. Yeah, it had to be. That was the only explanation for this. Stupid feelings, stupid.

Love at first sight is a myth. A silly, hopeless romantic myth. I was not one to be a hopeless romantic.

I think.

"Kate?" Tony said, making me jump. I looked up at him, and he smirked.

"Having dreams about you and Ari over there?" He teased. I punched him in the arm.

"No. I was thinking about how to persuade Ziva to kill you."

"Oh, now you wouldn't do that. And Ziva wouldn't either, huh sweet cheeks?" Tony said, looking at Ziva. She looked up, confused.

"Pet names?" She said, sounding slightly disgusted. Tony chuckled nervously, but grinned.

"Got a problem with them?" He asked. She shook her head, walking over to stand right in front of where he sat on the counter.

"Not one bit, my little hairy butt." Ziva smirked, and Tony just gaped. I silently vomited.

"Please don't tell me-"Ziva cut me off.

"No, of course not. But I have my hunches." She said, smirking as Tony tilted his eyebrow.

"Hunches?" He asked. She smirked.

"Ziva is a smart one, Anthony. I'm sure you of all people would know that." Ari said, looking up at Tony. They glared at each other for a second.

"I do, but I didn't think she would deduce that."

"Ew!" I yelled, moving away from him. He stopped, and then looked down at Ziva. She was smirking.

"Oh, you are going to pay." He said, and suddenly they were running around the house. I could hear Ziva's laughter as they went up the stairs, Ziva's door shutting behind them. I looked up above my head, listening as they wrestled around Ziva's room.

At least I hoped they were only wrestling.

"Caitlin, why don't you sit." I looked at Ari, and saw he was patting the table next to him. I moved over, and sat in the chair. He smiled at me.

"So, how are you?" He asked conversationally.

"I'm happy. And yourself?" He smiled at me, gently leaning forward.

"Never been better."

I stared into his eyes, seeing something sparkling deep in their depths. I could see the resemblance to Ziva.

"I'm glad. Do you like America?" I asked. He sat back, putting his arms behind his head.

"It is pleasant. The weather is cold though, compared to Israel."

"It is hot in Israel right now?"

"Not as hot as it would be in the summer time, but hot."

"I wish it was hot right now. I love the warm weather." I said. Ari smiled at me again. I loved his smile.

"I enjoy the rain very much. Rain brings life and a sense of new. Rain also brings a sense of romance into the air. It's a wonderful mix." He said intelligently. I tapped my fingers on the table.

"Rain is wonderful. And yes, it does add a sense of romance into the air. It makes everything seem more calm and dark. Which is romantic." I said, wishing I could just stop babbling. Ari nodded, smiling some more. We were up to three smiles in one conversation.

"Are you going to be spending Thanksgiving with your family?" Ari asked, surprising me. I nodded.

"My grandparents are even coming down." I said. He nodded, but didn't smile.

"What about Anthony?" He asked.

"Well, Tony's mom left for a business trip. I can only guess that he will be here with Ziva. Besides, from what I've heard, Gibbs is practically his father."

"Where is his father?" Ari asked.

"I honestly don't know." I said. We sat in silence for a second. Tony and Ziva had stopped moving up stairs, and Abby and McGee were quiet in the living room. Most likely listening to us.

"I feel sorry for him. No matter what, even if your father is a horrible man, you need to have one in your life." Ari said. I knew he was talking from personal experience.

Something banged up stairs, and I heard Tony laughing.

"Ow!" I heard him yell, and then Ziva laughed.

"They sound like they are having a good time." I said.

"I've always envied people like them." Ari said, his eyes distant.

"Why? They are perfectly happy."

"I think that's why. You see so much heart break, and suffering in this world. But then along comes this couple, and they don't seem to have a care in the universe. It makes you want something like that, but you can't find it. It's a one in six billion chance. They are each others one in six billion."

I was shocked. Well, not shocked. Ari is intelligible, knowledgeable. He is smart, and everything he says seems to make sense. This was deep, something I wouldn't expect him to say. But then again, he was always surprising me again and again.

"How do you know you won't find someone like that?" I asked. Ari stopped, and smiled yet again.

"I keep asking myself that."

--

_(Abby's POV)_

"Why are they talking about that?" I whispered to Tim. He shrugged, leaning across me to listen. I put my hands on his shoulder, feeling the warmth running through my fingers.

"One in six billion. How romantic." Tim whispered to me. I shrugged.

"Romance is a brilliant thing McGee." I said. He laughed.

"Well, it's picking some weird people." I slapped his shoulder, and he sat up.

"What?"

"Timmy! Romance is romance, and falling in love is falling in love. Love doesn't discriminate." I said. Tim sighed.

"I know that. It's just weird. Everyone around us is in love with someone." I looked at him.

"Are you?" I stared at him. His eyes were questioning.

"I don't think I am. Let me ask. Hey, me. Are you in love?" He laughed at me, and I smiled.

"Are you in love with someone, Timmy?" I asked. He stopped laughing, and thought my question over for a second.

"I'm not sure." He said. I reached up to pat his face.

"And you haven't told me?" I teased him. He shrugged.

"If it was love, I'd tell you." He said. I smiled.

"You better."

"I will."

"Okay, just making sure." I said, turning back to listen to Kate and Ari talk. Kate laughed, and I heard Ari chuckle a little.

"Abby, if you loved someone, you'd tell me right?" Tim asked. I looked at him, and saw he looked worried. I grabbed his face, making him look at me.

"Of course Timmy. Why not?" He shrugged.

"Just making sure." He said. I smiled and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

"You're so sweet Timmy." He smiled at me, and we listened to Kate and Ari's conversation.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I grabbed the plates Jenny was holding out to me, walking through the kitchen and into the dining room. Since we hadn't had any big dinners, we hadn't used the dining room before. Tonight was the first I had ever been inside. Tony held open the door for me, and I walked in.

"Ah, the plates." He said. I nodded, placing 8 places. Abby walked in with the silverware, putting a spoon, fork, and knife at each setting. I walked back into kitchen, waiting for Jenny to give me something to do. She smiled at me, handing me a steaming bowl.

"Take that in to the dining room. Put it somewhere on the table." She said. I smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Want me to take something?" Tim asked, and Jenny pointed to where she was setting plates and bowls of stuff. Tony and Tim grabbed a couple plates. They followed me into the dining room, and we set our stuff down on the table. Gibbs walked in, holding the turkey in his hands.

"Sit." Gibbs said. Tony pulled out a chair for me, and I smiled at him. I sat down and Tony sat next to me, Tali on my other side. Abby sat down across from me, McGee and Ari on either side of her. Jenny and Gibbs sat at the ends.

"Mom, I think we should all go around the table and say grace. Since this is like, one of the first times we've had so many people over for Thanksgiving dinner." Abby said. I looked at her.

"Grace?" I asked. Tony answered.

"You just say what you are thankful for, thank God for this dinner, and then the next person goes. I've been forced to say it for years." He said, and Gibbs slapped his head.

"Jethro." Jenny warned. He shrugged at her, and held out his hands. Tony and Ari took them, and then Tony held out his hand for me.

"Take it." He said. I held his hand, and then took Tali's.

"You hold everyone's hand while saying grace." Abby whispered across the table at me. I smiled at her, and then she sat up straight.

"Jethro, you can start." Jenny said. I smirked, and Tony squeezed my hand. Gibbs glared at his wife, but started.

"I'm thankful for my family, and all of the people around me." He said. I grinned.

Always Gibbs; short and sweet. He looked over at Ari. Ari smiled.

"I'm thankful for my luck, and the chance to be here tonight." He said. I smiled at him, and then everyone looked at Abby. Everyone was thinking the same thing. Abby started blabbing away, saying thanks for everything from me to her good grades. McGee reached over after a while, and she looked up.

"Oh, sorry guys." She said, and then she looked at McGee.

"Well, I'm thankful for my life." He said, and Tony laughed. I squeezed his hand tight, and he shut up.

"I'm thankful to have all of you." Jenny said, and Gibbs smiled at her. Tali thought for a moment, then said one thing.

"I'm glad you're all not dead." She said, and me and Ari laughed. Abby chuckled nervously, and Tony laughed. Gibbs stopped and stared at me before laughing himself. When the laughter died down, everyone looked at me. I blushed, thinking about what to say. Everyone kept on saying that they were thankful for their family, and their friends, their life. I was thankful for that, but I didn't want to say what everyone else had been saying. It seemed cliché.

"I'm thankful to have love."

I could feel the looks I was getting, especially the one from Gibbs. Jenny smiled sweetly at me, as did Tali and Abby. Ari smiled at me, and then he looked at Tony. I didn't look up at Tony to know what he was doing. I could feel his thumb going over the back of my hand. I waited for him to say what he was thankful for.

"I'm thankful for everything that has happened this year." He said finally. I smiled, feeling a blush on my cheeks. Everyone let their hands drop, and suddenly the food was being passed around. I grabbed the cranberry dish, spooning some of it onto my plate. Tony offered me mash potatoes, and I nodded.

"Tell me when." He said. I watched, and then nodded.

"When." I smirked, and he smiled. He passed the bowl to Tali.

"This is very good Jenny." Ari said, holding his fork up. I saw a piece of turkey on it. Jenny nodded, smiling at him.

"Thank you Ari." She said. We ate our food, the banter quiet. Ari and Abby were having a debate over whether sour dough or French bread was better. McGee and Jenny were talking about technology, and Tali was listening intently.

"Ziva, are you enjoying your dinner?" Tony asked. I looked up at him, smiling at him when I saw a blob of pasta sauce on his face. I whipped it away gently, and he smiled.

"Thanks." He said.

"This is the first time I've ever celebrated Thanksgiving." I said, and he nodded.

"I know. Are you enjoying it?" I nodded.

"Very much so."

As dinner went on, I began to feel fuller and happier. Ari and Tony started to talk, and then Gibbs joined in. Tali had her head on my shoulder as she sipped on apple cider. She laughed at something McGee said, and I smiled. Tony's hand found mine and squeezed it.

"Tired?" He whispered. I nodded, patting my full stomach. Gibbs looked at us, and smiled.

"Go to bed. Me and Jenny will clean this all up." He said. I smiled, standing up carefully. Everyone else stood up, and Tali and Abby followed me up the stairs to get changed. I slipped out of my skirt and shirt, and then into one of Tony's shirts I had taken. It was my favorite shirt of his, and it was the softest. I pulled on a pair of short shorts, and then walked back down the stairs. Tony and Ari were sitting standing at the bottom of the stairs, talking.

"That's a good theory Anthony." Ari said. I tilted my eyebrow as I walked up next to Tony. He wrapped his arm around my waist, and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"You look hot. Do you always wear that to bed?" He asked, and I smacked his chest. I could feel the blush on my cheeks.

"Ari, you can sleep downstairs with Tali tonight, right?" I asked as Tali slipped by to go sleep on the couch. Her dark hair was pulled up into a pony tail, and I could see her necklace clasp. Ari nodded, eyeing us before he walked into the living room. Tony and I moved up the stairs, his arm around my waist. When I closed my door, he pulled me to his chest. I snuggled into his embrace, feeling warm and protected in his arms.

"I love your shirt." He said huskily into my ear. I shivered at the tone.

"I changed my mind." I said. He looked at me, confused.

"I don't want to sleep in here." I said, and Tony finally got it.

"Oh."

--

Tony's arms wrapped around me again as we laid in his bed, my face in his chest.

"I loved dinner tonight." Tony said. I nodded, taking in his scent. His fingers ran up and down my back, calming me. His flannel pajamas were soft on my bare legs, but the blankets on top of us were keeping us warm. Tony rolled over onto his back, and I moved with him. I kept my head on his chest, and wrapped my legs around his leg. His fingers kept going up and down my back, my eyes slowly shutting.

"I love falling asleep like this." I whispered. Tony nodded, kissing my forehead.

"I love waking up like this." He said. I tilted my head up to look at him, and found his lips on mine. My sleepy insides tingled with delight, and Tony smiled.

"Good night, Ziva." He whispered before returning his fingers to my back. My eyes shut, and I let sleep overtake me.

"Good night love."

* * *

I knew I was going to write some good old fluff, but I was even happier when I got my 20 + reviews. So, I wrote the longest chapter yet. Well, page wise. It's about 11 pages, I think.... yeah. looonngg.

I almost lost all of this too. I had to restore my computer system after a trojan hit it. So, you guys go lucky that my moms boyfriend figured it out.

Clairifaction: Ari and Tali are on something called homeschool. Not like what you are thinking. They were given a packet from their school, and they have to do all of the work inside before they get back to make up for the days they are missing. Btw.

I just watched Cloak, and I have to say, best Tiva moment ever. :) Haha. And in the closet. Sooooo close. Anywho, tomorrow is NCIS!!!!! EEK! Excited as ever! Anyone wanna leave me their theories? I am full of ideas, but I want to know yours. Tell me.

And leave me your fave line. I'm interested in what your fav is from this chapter. :)

Idk what else to say, so I'm going to leave it at that.

_Thanks, Izzy:)  
_


	18. Chapter 18: November

Yeah, it's a little short.

**Disclaimer: I'm watching an all day marathon of NCIS.**

Chapter Eighteen: Lazy Friday.

* * *

The November sun rose slowly in the sky, finding it way into Tony's window and casting long shadows on the walls. The tree on the opposite side of the street was casting a long shadow on the wall that looked like a black ghost, and it slowly moved as the sun became higher. Birds started to chirp, and I could hear a dog barking. I could tell it was past 7 when I woke up, but I didn't move. Well, I couldn't.

Tony's arms were wrapped so tightly around me, I was lucky to be breathing. But, in his hold, he was gentle. His arms weren't crushing, but rather they were cradling me close. Still tightly, but it wasn't hurting me. His face was buried in to my neck, his breath hot on my skin. I smiled, wrapping my arms around him and holding the back of his head. I felt like I was comforting him, as if he were a small child who was crying into my shoulder. Usually, he held me like this. It was different for me.

But I liked it.

I let my eyes close, and listened to the many sounds. Tony groaned from my neck, and his arms wrapped even more tightly around me. I smiled when he let up a little, a part of his mind realizing his hold was too strong. Slowly, his breathing changed its rhythm, and I knew he was awake.

"Morning Mommy." His tone was joking, and I laughed.

"You honestly don't expect me to call you son, do you?"

--

_(Tony's POV)_

"I got Halo for all of them."

The Friday after Thanksgiving was never one of much doing. At the age of six, me and Abby had named it Lazy Friday, and from that year on we always referred to it as Lazy Friday while making plans. Gibbs always thought it was funny, smirking at us when we said it. Jenny would shake her head, saying something about how we could do something on Lazy Friday if we wanted to.

We never did.

This year I had somehow been dragged doing girly quizzes by Abby. Ziva had also been dragged, but when I laughed at her she had grabbed my hand.

"If I'm doing this, so are you." She had said over her shoulder as she pulled me into Abby's room, where Abby had pulled her, and sat down. And now we had out our iPods, and were doing a fun little _thing_ with them. Abby grabbed Ziva's paper, looking at her answers. I grabbed her iPod, smirking.

"Ziva, you have Halo on repeat." I said, and she laughed.

"Opps. My worse."

"Bad." I instantly corrected, and she laughed.

"My bad, again." She said, leaning over to grab her iPod back. I held it away from her, and she glared at me.

"Give me that back." She warned, and I smiled. I looked through her songs, completely aware of how close she was to me. I found one of my favorite songs, and handed her back the iPod. She glared at me.

"Thank you." She said, putting her head phones back in. Abby placed her answers back down, shaking her head.

"Ridiculous Ziva." Abby said, moving so she was sitting with her knees to her chest.

"Lazy Friday plans yet, Abs?" I asked. Abby shook her head.

"Timmy is with his grandparents, and so is Kate." She said absentmindedly, as if she had been thinking about it. "I was going to go to the Mall with Tali. She isn't up yet, though. She sleeps like you Tony." I laughed.

"Soundly?"

"Yeah, and for a long time." Abby said, and Ziva laughed. Ziva moved to sit like Abby was, her knees against her chin. Her eyes were distant as she was absorbed in the music. I rested back on my elbows, watching her and Abby. They were both quiet, their minds completely absorbed in their music. I got up, moving out the room and down the stairs. Ari was in the kitchen, cooking some lunch for himself. I sat down at the table, rubbing my head. Lazy Friday was right.

"Morning Ari." I said, and he nodded at me. He moved to the fridge, grabbing he orange juice and pouring himself a glass. He sat down at the table, a plate of food in front of him.

"How are you this morning, Anthony?" He asked, looking up at me as he chewed on his toast.

"I'm still full. I don't know how you can still eat." I said, and Ari shrugged.

"I guess I have a fast metabolism." He stated, sipping on his juice.

"You could say that."

We sat in silence, and I started to feel uncomfortable. It wasn't that he was staring me down or giving me the evil eye. It was just that I didn't know what to say, or if I should say anything. The thing was, I didn't know what he thought of me. I didn't know if he liked me, or if he didn't. And I wasn't just going to ask him. He probably believed what Kate said anyway.

"Ziva has said many great things about you." Ari said, breaking my thought. I looked up at him, seeing he was smiling.

"I would hope so." I said warily. He smiled at me a little wider, and I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach for some reason.

"You look nervous. Any reason why?"

I swallowed.

"I'm…." I trailed off, not finding the words. He tilted his head at me.

"Are you worried I won't like you?"

I sat there, knowing that he was Ziva's brother. They each had that candid ability to read people well, and get what they were thinking. It was cool, but scary.

"Well, maybe, kind of." I stuttered out, and Ari smiled. My stomach flipped.

"Anthony, I'm not one to judge right away. I like to get to know people, see who they are. Everyone has a story, and I'd rather judge you off of that then what I see in three days. And, if what my sister says is true, then you must be a nice guy." He paused, and smirked. "Although, Caitlin seems to think oppositely." We both laughed.

"Well, Kate and I are more like brothers and sisters." I said. Ari nodded, eating some more of his eggs.

"I have seen as much."

Again, we sat in silence. Personally, I didn't know what to say. I felt like I was being interrogated.

"You're a nice guy, Anthony." Ari concluded, getting up and putting his dishes in the sink.

"Thanks?" I said, and he laughed.

"It is a compliment." He said while laughing. I nodded, getting up and grabbing a glass. I poured myself a glass of juice, and sat on the counter. Ari cocked his eyebrow at me.

"Why are you sitting there?"

"Because."

He shrugged, moving out of the kitchen and out side. I saw him get in his car and drive away. Most likely to go to the store. It got quiet in the house again; I couldn't even hear Abby and Ziva. I moved through the living room and out onto the patio. The sun was out, and it was just warm enough to wear shorts. I was almost glad that winter was around the corner. I didn't like the scorching hot. I sat down on the grass, what little was left of the morning dew wetting my legs.

"Tony!" Abby yelled, making me jump. I looked up at her, and saw that she was holding my phone.

"What?" I said, getting up. She handed me my phone, and mouthed something I didn't get.

"Hello?" I asked. I heard some chatter on the other end, and a ladies voice say something.

"Tony, my boy."

I stopped moving, my dad voice echoing through my head. I swallowed, and Abby put her arms around me.

"Dad." I said. I heard some more chatter on his end, and realized he was in an air port terminal.

"Tony, I have a favor to ask you. I'm at JFK, and I need a ride. I can't get a rental car."

"What, money can't bribe the guy working there?" I snapped. Dad laughed.

"Always the joker. Can you come get me?" He asked again. I covered up the speaker part of the phone, and looked down at Abby.

"Come with me?" I asked. She nodded.

"I'll even get Ziva."

"No! I don't want her to have to deal with him."

"With who?" Ziva asked, moving out onto the patio.

"Tony?" My dad said into the phone. I ignored him.

"My dad." I said. Ziva smiled.

"He can't be worse than you."

"He is." I said, and spoke back into the phone.

"I'll be there."

--

Ziva's hand slipped into mine as I drove to JFK. Abby was sitting in the back seat, her head bobbing as she listened to her iPod.

"Why don't you like your father?" Ziva asked, her thumb rubbing the back of my hand.

"You'll know when you meet him." I said, keeping my eyes on the road. She sighed.

"Can you tell me?" She asked. I looked at her momentarily.

"He's an ass." I said. Ziva laughed.

"Well, I bet he is. But you can't hate him this much just because he is an ass." She said. I hated how well she knew me.

"Like I said. You'll understand when you meet him."

"Does it have to do with the fact that he left you and your mom?" She asked, her voice soft. I didn't look at her. She seemed to get her answer from my silence. She turned in her seat, scooting closer to me.

"Tony, what else?" She asked. I shook my head, pulling into the parking lot.

"He's a bastard. He's arrogant, and thinks that money is everything. I was cut off when I was 12. He sends my mom checks every month, and rarely sends a Christmas card. You can kind of see why I don't like him much." I said, getting out of the car. Abby slipped out, her head phones still on. I grabbed her upper arm, leading her through the cars to the terminal. Ziva walked next to me, and I could tell that she was thinking. I grabbed her hand, entwining our fingers. She smiled at me.

"I'm sorry for asking."

"Don't be. It's human nature to be curious." I said. She nodded, and we walked into the terminal. I could see people everywhere. Seeing as it was the Friday after Thanksgiving, families were either flying in or flying out. I tightened my hold on Abby as we walked, making sure she was right next to me. I looked around, looking for my dad.

"Is that him?" Ziva asked, and me and Abby looked over at where she was looking. Sure enough, there he was. He looked the part of a rich ass.

He was wearing a dark green polo shirt and khaki pants. He was holding a brief case, and his cell phone was to his ear. His suit case was sitting next to him. I nodded, and Ziva moved to walk towards him. I held her back, giving her a look.

"Tony, it's your dad. He's not going to shoot me." She said. I shook my head.

"I'll go interrupt his phone call." I said, and Ziva nodded. I let go of her hand and Abby's arm, moving through to crowd to him. When he saw me, he smiled.

"I've got to go. I'll talk to you later." He shut his phone. "Tony!" He said. He put his phone away and went to hug me. I just held out my hand. He stopped, looking at little disappointed, but he shook my hand.

"Hey dad." I said. I grabbed his suitcase, and he followed me.

"Who did you bring with you?" He asked as I moved to where Abby and Ziva were standing near the food. Abby was holding a soda in her hand, most likely needing her caffeine fix. Ziva smiled at me, her hand on Abby's arm as she twirled from side to side on her heels.

"Abs, calm down." Ziva said.

"I feel so much better now, so much better. Ooo, air port terminals are always so dirty and gross, but so noisy. Hi Tony." She said to me, her face lit up. I smiled, and she looked around me.

Abby knew my father well. My father had left when I was 6. After that, Abby had started to dislike him. He came to see me once, when I graduated from middle school. The whole time, Abby had given him the evil eye and not engaged in small talk with him. Now, she was giving him the same evil eye. But, all the same, she greeted him.

"Hello." She said, not all too kindly. Dad nodded at her.

"Nice to see you again Abigail." He said. Abby glared at him as he used her full name.

"Likewise." She said, and she moved to grab her soda from the counter, sipping on it. My dad looked at Ziva, and I saw something in his eyes that I didn't quite like. Ziva saw it too.

"Hello. I'm Ziva." She said. Dad smiled.

"Ziva. Nice to meet you." They shook hands, and I shifted my weight.

"Let's get going."

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

It didn't take a genius to tell that Tony was not only uncomfortable, but kind of angry that his father was in the back seat of his car. It was a quite car too, no one bothering to fill the awkward silence. Not even Abby. She was too busy texting McGee, her fingers moving over her keyboard fast. Tony was focusing on driving, but I knew he was preoccupied in his mind. His thumb was idly tracing circles on the back of my hand he held.

"Why so quiet?" My dad asked. No one seemed to feel the need to answer the question. Tony pulled up to his house, parking the car in the driveway. He got out quickly, popping the trunk and pulling out his dads suitcase. Abby followed him inside, and I was left with Mr. DiNozzo.

"So, where do you live?" He asked.

"I live with Gibbs. I'm a foreign exchange student." I said, moving into the house. I heard Tony and Abby upstairs, in the guest room. Abby was laughing, her feet making loud bangs as she walked down the stairs. She walked up next to me, leaning up to whisper in my ear.

"You need to cheer him up." She said, and I looked at her. She sighed.

"You know, cheer him up. Make him happy. He's sulking." I nodded, and she smiled at me. She momentarily glared at Mr. DiNozzo, and then said her goodbyes.

"Tony, you don't mind if I use your car to go out, do you?" Tony's dad said.

"Actually, I do. You can use the extra car." Tony said, and his dad nodded.

"Alright. I'll be back later." He said, exiting the house. I heard the extra car start, and then I heard it pull away. Tony shook his head, moving into the kitchen. I followed him, sitting on the counter. I watched as he moved around, obviously angry. I grabbed his arm as he walked by, and he looked at me.

"What?" He said. I winced at his tone, but stepped down to stand in front of him.

"Calm down." I said quietly, standing on my tip toes and wrapping my arms around his neck. He melted into me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"I'm just fine." He said, and I shook my head.

"You're walking around, banging things, all angry. You are not fine." I said. He looked into my eyes, and smiled.

"I'm fine now." He said. I smirked, moving out of his arms and sitting back on the counter. He moved to stand in front of me, his hands lying on my knees.

"Are you going to be like this the whole time he's here?" I asked, reaching up to mess with is hair.

"Mostly when he is around." He said. I sighed.

"And the rest of the time?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Depends." He said. I moved my legs around his waist, pulling him even closer to the counter. His face was inches from mine, and I could smell his breath.

"On what?" I smirked.

"How much time I get to spend away from him with you." He whispered. I felt my stomach flip.

"Well, he's gone now." I said. Tony raised an eyebrow at me.

"What are you implying Zee-vah?" He said, drawing out my name. I just shrugged.

"I'm not implying anything." I said, and he laughed.

"You are."

"Are not."

He smirked at me, moving his hands up to my waist. I stared into his eyes, noticing the look he was giving me.

"You are so implying something." He whispered. I shrugged.

"And if I am?"

"Going to follow through with that?" He asked. I laughed.

"To a point." I said. He smiled.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." He teased. I shrugged.

"I'm still figuring that one out." I said, and he laughed.

"Tell me when you do."

* * *

The second part of Lazy Friday will be the next chapter.

Sorry for not updating sooner. I've had a hectic week. Wednesday I had a breakdown, Thrusday I was to tired to do anything, and then last night I had a Choir Concert, which was amazing.

These three guys sang You Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys. It was amazing.

_Reviews?_

Oh, and I know it's kind of retarded to like, advertise yourself on your stories, but read and review my one shots I've written please.

_Thanks, Izzy:)_


	19. Chapter 19: November

Oh, I love being an Author. Creative Freedom my friends.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, you'd all be a lot happier.**

Chapter Nineteen: Ninja Skills.

Dedication: ejn10175  


* * *

Gibbs and Jenny were sitting at the table when Tony and I walked into the kitchen. Gibbs looked up at us.

"Your dad is here, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, and Tony stiffened.

"Yeah." He said, sitting down on the counter. Gibbs looked at him, then at me.

"Ziva." He said, cocking his head to follow him as he walked into the living room. I followed him, and found myself in his study. I had never been in there, and I was surprised to see how neat and organized it was.

"Is he okay?" Gibbs asked. I shrugged.

"Why do you ask?" Gibbs shook his head, sitting down. I sat down on the edge of the desk.

"You don't know his father Ziva. I've been the male influence in his life since he was 6. Heck, even before that. Probably since he was born. I've never liked the man, and no one has around here. Tony's parents aren't really parents. They are just guardians. People, who sign papers, give him money, throw him a birthday party but don't go. They never acted like parents to him. Jenny and I are closer to him than they are. The only reason Tony still lives with his mom is that she actually acts like a parent some times. When he was younger, she'd drop him off at school, and then he was to find a way home and make himself dinner."

"The saddest thing is, his dad would have been a good father, had he tried. But he didn't. I guess you could say it's a tragedy. I don't like the thought that he is here. And I'm not sure why either. If he's here to make amends with Tony, he's a little late."

I nodded, not realizing Gibbs had put this much thought into it. It just showed how much he cared about Tony, even if he didn't show it.

"You've given this thought." I said, and Gibbs shrugged.

"I've had 17 years to think about it." He said. I nodded.

"You're telling me this why?" I asked.

"Because, I want you to know." He said.

"He's angry about him being here." I said. Gibbs nodded.

"I wouldn't doubt it." He said, sipping on his coffee. "Try to keep him happy." I raised my eyebrow.

"You know what I mean." He said, glaring at me. I laughed.

"Yes, I know. And trust me on this, all I have to do is stand next to him and he is happy." I said. Gibbs smiled.

"That's why I asked you."

I smiled, moving out of the room. I bumped into Abby, her face lit up.

"Where's Dad?" She asked, looking as if she were about to blow up. Gibbs walked out behind me, and Abby moved to him.

"Dad, Dad, Dad!"

"Abs, what?" He asked.

"Dad, there is a dog out there. We need to help it!" Abby said, pulling Gibbs out the door. Jenny got up to follow, and I walked into the kitchen. Tony was sitting on the counter still, and he had an apple in his hand. I walked over and stood in front of him, much like he had earlier in his own kitchen. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. He seemed surprised at first, but then wrapped his arms around me.

"What did Gibbs want?" He asked. I looked up at him.

"He cares a lot about you." I said. Tony laughed.

"Sure."

"No, I'm serious. He really does though." I said. Tony shook his head.

"How do you know?" He asked. I sighed.

"Ninja's know this kind of stuff."

He laughed, he laughed really hard.

--

Abby somehow convinced Gibbs to take the dog to the vet, where the dog got patched up. I ended up going along, riding in the front seat while Abby held the dog in the back seat. After the vet fixed the dog up, he checked it for tags or chips, but found none.

"Well, I don't know what to do. Since he is missing, we can put up a sign. But in the meantime, you guys can keep him." Dr. Shoal said. Abby jumped up and down, squealing. As Gibbs drove home, Abby was trying to pick out a name for him.

"Abs, his name is Butch." Gibbs said.

"Dad, that's an ugly name. He has to have a pretty name, something strong. Something that suits him." Abby said, petting the dogs head. When we finally got home, Abby pulled the dog out and attached the leash to his collar. I shook my head as she ran up the front walk to the house.

"Mom! Come look at the dog!" Abby yelled. I followed her into the living room, where the dog curled up on the floor. Jenny walked out and looked at the dog, then at Gibbs.

"We're keeping it?" She asked, and Gibbs shrugged. I sat down next to Abby on the floor, crossing my legs and watching the dog.

"What is its name Abby?" Jenny asked, watching the dog carefully. The dog lifted its head, looking around, but then let his head fall again.

"I don't know mom." Abby said.

"Oh, cool. A dog!" Tony said from behind me. I looked up just as he sat down next to me. His hand grabbed mine, and I smiled.

"No Tony. It's a cat." I said, and Tony laughed.

"Feeling sarcastic?" He asked, and I shrugged.

Abby was fretting over the dog, her hands combing through his hair. She and Jenny were talking, trying to figure out a name for him. Tony's arm went around my shoulder, and I leaned into him.

"Is your dad home yet?" I asked. I felt him stiffen a little.

"No. He probably won't come home till later, and he'll be drunk."

I looked up at his face and saw how bitter he looked. I patted his cheek, settling back into his arms.

"You can stay here if you want." I said. Gibbs looked up at my statement. I saw him look us over, but then he nodded a little. I smiled, moving my hand to rest on tops of Tony's.

We all sat there, talking and throwing idea's back and forth about what the dog should be named. After a while, Jenny stopped everyone.

"I've got it." She said, holding her hands up. We all waited.

"Jethro."

Gibbs laughed. He laughed really hard. I watched as his face went red from his laughter, and Abby patted his back.

"Really Jen?" He asked. She looked a little embarrassed.

"He's quiet, a man of few words, but adds his two sense when needed, and he's handsome. I think we should name him Jethro." She said, explaining. "Jethro" barked, and we all laughed.

"I guess that's his name." Abby said, petting the dogs head. "Huh Jethro?" She cooed, and Gibbs laughed.

"Oh boy."

--

Tony's dad came home at around 2 AM. I knew that due to the fact that I couldn't sleep. I just sat there, staring at Tony's perfect, serene, and handsome face. In his sleep he looked like a completely different person. During the day, he was always giving someone a look. There were many different looks he gave out, but each was different and was given to different people. But in his sleep, he wasn't giving someone a look. His face was expressionless, but held so many emotions all at once. It was captivating.

I could see he was dreaming. His eyes were moving under his eyelids. Every now and then his lips would twitch, and I was left to wonder what he was dreaming about. I saw him smile, and I smiled at it. It was a genuine smile, absolutely genuine.

"Tony!"

I jumped at the sound of Mr. DiNozzo's voice as it echoed around the quite neighborhood. I was out of my bed and down the stairs in a matter of seconds. I grabbed Tony's sweatshirt off the coat rack, and bound out the door. I could see him standing in the street, his eyes searching around like Tony was just playing basketball and he couldn't see him.

"Mr. DiNozzo?" I asked as I stopped walking five feet away from him. I could see lights turning on in some of the houses, and nosy neighbors looking out their windows to see what was going on.

"You! Where is my sson?" He asked, slurring his words. Especially his s's.

"He's asleep. Maybe you should go back inside sir." I said. He looked at me.

"It's Robert. And where is he? He's not in hiss bed." He said, and I just barely made out his words. I glared at him.

"Robert then. But, really, you need to go inside." I said, reaching out to pull him into the house. He smiled drunkly at me.

"I see why my son likes you so much. You sure are hot." He said. I let go of him, holding myself back from slapping him.

"Move forward." I said, and he leered at me. I caught his eyes going down my legs, and snapped.

--

_(Gibbs POV)_

I woke up right before the sounds of a man yelling filled the air. I jumped out of bed, effectively waking Jenny. She looked at me funny as I slipped on my shoes and ran down the stairs. Something told me this was bad.

And it was.

I walked out the front door just in time to see Robert DiNozzo get karate kicked by Ziva, most likely for the second time, and fall to the ground. I held back a laugh at the irony of it all, and made myself walk over to them and grab Ziva's arm just as she was about to punch him in the face.

"Ziva." I warned, and she glared at me. She kicked Robert as he tried to touch her leg, a hiss escaping her throat. He yelped out in pain, holding his side where her foot made contact. I smirked when I saw that she wasn't wearing shoes.

"He deserves this." She said. Her voice was dangerously angry, and the tone was dark.

"I know, but you need to stop." I said. Robert reached for her leg again, and this time she made contact with his hand. He stifled a yell, but his face turned red from the effort.

"Ziva." I warned again. People were now walking out of their houses, watching the scene unfold in front of them. Mrs. Jones had her cell phone in her hand.

"Do you want me to call the police Gibbs? So they can…. detain him or something?" She asked, and I nodded. Ziva was still seething, and I pulled her gently away from Robert. He had passed out, his face slowly getting less red.

"Ziva, what happened?" I asked, and watched as anger flashed through her dark eyes.

"He is a pig!" She said, running her hands through her hair. I could see that they were threatening to shake from her anger. "He yelled Tony's name, so I came out here to see what he was doing. I tried to move him back inside, and he started whacking on me."

"Hitting."

"Whatever, and then I told him to move forward and he started cinching his eyes up my legs."

"Inching."

"So I hit a pressure spot in his hand, and then you came out here." She said, ignoring my corrections of her English.

"Ziva, I hate to say this, but I'm proud of you." I said, and Ziva laughed. Finally, the anger in her eyes retreating as her laughter filled the night air.

"You are funny Gibbs." She said, and I smiled. The police car arrived, and one of the officers grabbed Robert. The other one walked over to where we stood.

"Officer Kellen. You must be Gibbs?" He asked, and I nodded. I extended my hand and he shook it.

"Would you mind telling me what happened? All I got from your neighbor was that Mr. DiNozzo over there is drunk." He explained. I nodded, and explained what Ziva had told me. Officer Kellen nodded, writing it all down. He looked at Ziva, and shook his head.

"She did this sir? I have a hard time believing that." He said. I shrugged.

"She can do more damage than we can with our hands."

He shook his head.

"If you say so sir."

After putting Robert into the car, Officer Kellen talked to Ziva before leaving. When the police left, I looked over at Ziva. She was standing next to Tony, who looked slightly smug. I walked over to them.

"You've got to be careful Ziva." I said, and she nodded.

"He deserved that." She said, and Tony laughed. I glared at him, and he shut up.

"It wasn't funny DiNozzo. She's lucky the officer didn't take her in." I snapped at him. He was still sleepy; I could see it in his eye.

"Yeah, but she's right. He probably really did deserve it."

I smacked the back of his head, and he shook his head.

"Thanks Gibbs." He said.

"Go back to bed guys." I said, more to the whole neighborhood than the two teens in front of me. But everyone listened, and went back to bed.

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

"I can't believe I MISSED that!" Abby said for the umpteenth time. I sighed, taking a drink of my juice. It was Saturday morning, and Abby had slept through the whole thing. She was regretting it now, seeing as she also wanted to see Mr. DiNozzo be taken down.

"Abby, stop it." I said. She just glared at me.

"I also missed your infamous ninja skills. Why did I have to be asleep!?" She took a bite of her eggs, and then looked at me.

"Did you hurt him?" She asked, and I laughed.

"Abby, I don't think he felt it, but I know I did do damage." I said, and Abby squealed.

"YES!" She said, pulling me into a hug. I gasped for breath, and she let go.

"Sorry, but YES! Oh my gosh, you do not know for how long I've wanted to kick his buhukey. You are my hero, you know that right? Ah, I love you Ziva. Love, love, love, love you! You are our ninja!!!" She said before pulling me into another hug. I didn't know why, but her doing so made me feel a little tingly. I looked up as Tali walked down the stairs, rubbing her eyes.

"What did I miss?" She asked, and Abby launched into a long explanation of what had happened. She smirked at me, and patted my head.

"Such a good big sister." Tali said in Hebrew. I smiled up at her.

"Yeah yeah." I said in English, and she smirked. She sat down at the table, rubbing her eyes again as she looked at the food on her plate.

"It was pretty amazing." Tony whispered in my ear, and I glared at him.

"Aroused?" I whispered back, and he smirked.

"Could be."

I tapped his cheek and he smiled. We went back to eating, everyone talking happily. Jethro, the dog, had his head on Abby's leg, hoping to get some food. When I finished, I put my plate in the sink. Tony followed me, and we moved into the living room. Jethro padded along behind us, and put his head on my leg. I patted his head, scratching behind his ears. He shut his eyes, and let me scratch his neck. I heard a knock at the door, and Tony got up to answer it. Jethro's ears perked up as he listened, and then he growled a little.

"Jethro, what's wrong?" I asked, and he moved to the door. Tim was standing there, and Jethro growled at him. I grabbed Jethro's collar, holding him. Tim looked at the dog.

"When did you guys get a dog?" He asked. Abby moved to the door, her face lit up.

"Timmy!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him in a huge bear hug. Tim wrapped his arms around Abby, and smiled.

"Good to see you too Abs. When did you get a dog?" He asked again, and she smiled at him.

"Let me explain."

Abby went into yet another explanation of what had happened, and he inched away from me when he heard the part about me kicking ass.

"Wow Ziva." He said, and I grimaced. I still had Jethro's collar, and when I let go of him, he crouched down.

Before I knew what was happening, he lunged at Tim.

* * *

TIMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Review, please? I'm so content with this right now. I'm loving this story. Please?

Thanks. :)

_Love, Izzy.  
_


	20. Chapter 20: November

LONG chapter. :) I don't know where I got this, but damn I'm proud of myself. (: Oh, and I'm pretty excited to say this is the twentieth chapter. Oh yeah, pretty proud of myself.

**Disclaimer: OWN the idea. :D**

Chapter Twenty(WOOTWOOT): First Date.

Dedication: Penelope Louise

* * *

"_Wow Ziva." He said, and I grimaced. I still had Jethro's collar, and when I let go of him, he crouched down._

_Before I knew what was happening, he lunged at Tim._

It took me a second to react. I grabbed Jethro's collar again, pulling him away from Tim. Tim was back up against the wall, his hands up in defense. The dog seemed intent on biting whatever part of Tim his teeth could connect with, and I could see some blood on his poor neck. Abby was watching with shock, her face whiter than usual. She was frozen in shock. Gibbs grabbed Tim, pulling him gently into the kitchen.

"Bad Jethro." I scolded the dog in his ear. He looked at me, pulling at his collar. I held onto him tightly, trying not to cause too much damage to his wounds. He was wrapped up, and I was surprised that no blood was spilt. Well, besides poor little McGee's. I heard talking in the kitchen, but other than that, it was quiet. Jethro growled, and I patted his head.

"Stop it Jethro. It's just McGee." I said to the dog.

"Maybe the dog doesn't like McGee. I've heard that animals are a great judge of character." Tony said, and I glared at him.

"This isn't funny Tony." I spat, holding Jethro's collar. The dog seemed intent on getting away from me and lunging at McGee again. Abby finally moved, getting up off the floor and floating into the kitchen.

"This reminds me of a movie." Tony said, and I laughed.

"Now is not the time."

"No, it is. Harry Potter, for some odd reason. The dog drags the kids down under this tree, and it turns out the dog is this man. I bet Jethro is just a man who transfigured into a dog." Tony said, looking slightly crazy. I slapped the back of his head.

"Stop it."

"Hey, you can't Gibbs slap me. You don't have that clearance." He said, and I heard Gibbs laugh.

"Anyone can slap you Tony. It's like the law. You gotta do it." He said, and Tony hmphed.

"I wish you hadn't of started that." Tony mumbled, and I started to relax as Jethro stopped pulling on my arms. I heard Abby fretting over Tim in the kitchen.

"If I hadn't of started that, I probably would have never met Jenny." Gibbs stated, and I looked at Tony. He looked as confused as I was.

"You met Jenny by slapping someone?"

"No, he slapped me." Jenny said, walking out of the kitchen and over to the downstairs bathroom.

"It was friendly."

"It was on the ass."

Tony and I burst out laughing, and I heard Abby giggling in the kitchen.

"Yeah, but you were sticking it out."

Jenny poked her head out of the bathroom to glare at her husband.

"Were not." She said, grabbing something out of the cabinet and moving back into the kitchen.

"Yes you were." Gibbs said, a slight smile on his face.

"Mommy and Daddy are fighting." Abby teased, and I heard Tim gasp.

"Ouch." He mumbled.

"No, we aren't. It's just friendly banter." Jenny said from the kitchen. Gibbs seemed to be stifling laughter.

"I think this is considered foreplay." Tony stated, and then Gibbs laughed. I chuckled quietly, keeping my grip on the dog. Jethro was laying down now, his head in my lap. His eyes were still trained on the kitchen door though.

"This isn't considered foreplay for us, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, and Tony gagged. I laughed, as did everyone else in the house. I even heard Tali laughing up stairs in bed.

"She sleeps a lot." Tony observed. I realized he was talking about Tali.

"She's always slept a lot."

"Timmy, what did you do to provoke the dog?" Abby asked.

"I didn't do anything!" He said, and then he gasped. "Ow!"

"You did do something!" Abby said.

"I didn't. He just lunged at me."

"Dog don't just lunge at people for no reason."

"I guess I break that mold."

"What did you do?"

Tim sighed. "Nothing Abby."

"He's telling the truth." Tony said, getting up and walking into the kitchen. I moved so I could actually see inside the kitchen. Tim was sitting on the counter next to the sink, his turtleneck pulled back to reveal the bite on the side of his neck. It was amazing how fast that dog had attached his teeth to poor McGee's neck. Abby was sitting next to him, her feet crossed up on the counter. Jenny was washing off the bite marks, gently rubbing them with a white pad.

"He is?" Abby asked, and Tim sighed.

"Thank you Tony." He said.

"No problemo McGeek. But, truthfully Abs, little Timmy didn't do anything to provoke the dog."

"He must have. My little Jethro wouldn't hurt Timmy." She said, looking at Jethro. I patted his head, and saw that he was asleep.

"Evil dog." Tim said, and Abby slapped his arm.

"Timmy! He's not evil!"

"Is too."

"Is NOT!"

"Stop it guys." Jenny said, placing a bandage over McGee's neck. McGee moved his neck so she could flatten it before smiling at her.

"Thanks Jenny." He said as he jumped down off the counter, landing with a soft thunk. Tony clapped him on the back.

"Go McGeek." Tim grimaced at his nickname.

"Thanks Tony."

Abby moved back into the living room, petting the dog on the forehead. Then, she looked up at me.

"Where's Ari?" She asked, and I stopped.

"I'm not sure…" I said. Truthfully, I had no clue. Having left the day before, I hadn't seen him since.

"Maybe he's with Kate." Tony said, a smirk on his face. Gibbs slapped the back of his head.

"I'm warning you DiNozzo. Get your mind out of the gutter." He said, and Tony nodded.

"Sorry."

"And don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness." Gibbs yelled as he walked outside. I heard his car start, and then it pull away. We are all quiet for a second, and then Abby spoke.

"Did you guys really meet when he slapped you ass Mom?"

--

"Sweet cheeks?"

"What?"

"Is that Ari and Kate?"

I looked out my window, seeing two figures standing next to a car. Ari's car. They were talking, and I could just barely make out that they were holding hands in the dark.

"I think."

"Where have they been?"

"I'm not sure."

"I want to know."

"Curiosity killed the bat."

"Cat."

"What?"

"It's curiosity killed the cat."

"Oh."

We stood in silence, looking out at the two figures. I saw Kate flip her hair, and then run her fingers through it. I saw Ari smile, even in the dark.

"They seem pretty preoccupied."

"Stop it."

I elbowed him as I said that, and he groaned.

"Curiosity isn't going to kill me. You are."

"At least it's someone you know."

I reached up and opened the window, listening.

"It was funny!" Kate said, laughing as she said that.

"Well, to a point. I think it was ridiculous."

"That was the point."

"The point was to be ridiculous and stupid?" Ari asked, actually sounding confused. I couldn't tell though.

"Yeah. It's a comedy movie." Kate said.

"I could have expected with a title like Blades of Glory." Ari said. Beside me, I heard a chuckle.

"One of the funniest movies of all time. Will Ferrell, Jon Heder play these two male figure skaters-"

"Shh." I cut him off.

"It was a great movie though." Kate said. I saw Ari nodded, and shift his weight. I was surprised to see that he looked nervous. He was always confident. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear, and she laughed. I saw him smile again, even in the dark, and then Kate smiled.

"Yes, I would." She said, and then she kissed his cheek. I stared, completely confused.

"Did you see?"

"Yeah." I answered Tony.

"They were on a date?"

"Seems like it." I said, moving to sit back down on my bed. Tony sat down next to me.

"You know, technically we haven't been out on a date." He said, and I looked at him. He was thinking, I could see it in his eyes.

"Are you asking me out on a date, Anthony DiNozzo?" I asked. He smiled at me.

"Maybe." He said.

"Well, it's a little late to go now." I said, pointing the clock that indicated it was well after midnight.

"Well, I know a place we could go."

"You aren't serious?" I asked.

"I'm serious as stink on shit."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It doesn't. Get dressed." He said, bounding out of the room. I watched him leave, completely and utterly confused. Nonetheless, I got dressed. I pulled on a pair of jeans and Tony's sweatshirt. I grabbed my Converse, slipping them on before jumping down the stairs. Gibbs was sitting in the kitchen, eating some chips.

"Where do you think you are going?" He asked, looking at me funny.

"Out..."

"With Tony?" He asked. I nodded. He didn't say anything as I backed out of the kitchen, and out the front door. Tony was sitting in his car at the end of the walkway.

"Tony, we are bolted."

"Screwed. And we are fine David. Come one. Let's go." He said, pushing open the door of the car so I could get in. I slipped in, and he smiled at my attire.

"You look so small in my jacket." He observed. I shook my head.

"It's the warmest one I have." He pulled down the main street and out into town.

"This reminds me of a movie."

I groaned, and he laughed.

"This movie, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Two stoners get the munchies one night, they see this ad on the television about White Castle, and they set out to get some of their little hamburgers. Their whole night is just completely crazy, but they eventually get the burgers." He said, driving out onto the freeway.

"And this relates to that how?" I asked, moving into the center seat. I slipped on the seat belt, and Tony smiled at me.

"I don't know, it just does." He said, slipping his arm around my shoulder. He drove down the freeway, his speed staying right under 60.

"Everything relates to movies for you." I observed, reaching up to mess with the radio. I zipped through stations, trying to find a good song. I had left my iTouch at home, so I couldn't pick my favorite song. I finally found a good song and sat back.

_Its you and me moving  
At the speed of light into eternity,  
Tonight is the night to join me in the middle of ecstasy.  
Feel the melody in the rhythm of the  
Music around you, around you_

"Chris Brown Ziva?" Tony asked, referring to my music choice. I shrugged.

"It's a good song." I said as the song went on. Tony had the top down, and my hair was blowing out behind me. I smiled as the wind hit my face, the wind whooshing past my ears. It was such a beautiful night, and the sound of the music was making it even more amazing.

_Its like I've waited my whole life for  
This one night it's gonna be me you and  
The dance floor cause  
We've only got one life  
Double your pleasure  
Double your fun and dance  
Forever (ever, ever)  
Forever (ever, ever)_

I tapped my foot on the floor boards, feeling the beat vibrate throughout the car. Tony turned down the music as we pulled off the freeway. I could see that no one was around, and the streets were empty.

"Where are we going?" I asked, looking around. Tony drove down the road, heading out of town and down a more rural road.

"The best place to go for late night food." He said, and I watched as the trees flew by. The headlights lit up the road ahead of us. As we went up a hill, I saw lights up the road. Tony slowed down, and I read the words on the sign outside the small establishment. It said "Franks Diner." I undid my seat belt when Tony parked, and jumped out. Tony grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the front door. We walked inside, and one of the waitresses smiled at us.

"Table for two?" She asked, waving at us to follow even before we answered. I was amazed at how many people were in there, and at this time of night. The waitress sat us at a booth in the far corner, and Tony let me slide in first. I felt quite comfortable, and Tony seemed to think the same.

"This place is great. I've come here in the past when I couldn't sleep." He whispered in my ear, and I smiled.

"It's amazing how crowded it is." I said, looking around at the place. Tony nodded.

"It's a popular place. And the food it amazing." He said. The waitress came back with menus and got our drink orders. When she walked away, I looked up at Tony.

"Are we honestly having out first date here?" I asked, finding it weird. Tony smiled.

"Do you have a problem with that?" He smirked at me, and I patted his chest.

"Not really." I said, smiling at him. I looked at my menu, suddenly hungry.

"What are you going to get?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I'm not sure."

We sat there, looking over our menus. Tony knew what he wanted already, so he helped me pick out what I wanted. We fought over my menu, and I ended up ripping it from his hands. He gave me puppy dog eyes, and I smirked at him. I kept looking over the menu, trying to pick what I wanted to eat. Finally, I gave up.

"I'll just eat what you're eating." I said. He smiled at me genuinely.

"Like the dinner we had before Ari came?" He asked, and I nodded. He put his arm around my waist, and smiled. The waitress came back over, and took Tony's order. She smiled at us as she walked away, heading back over to the bar. I moved my knees up to my chin, leaning into Tony. I was feeling tired, but I wanted to stay awake. Tony put his arms around me, keeping me sitting up straight.

"You aren't going to fall asleep on me now, are you?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"I'm so warm." I said. Tony looked at his jacket that I wore.

"Take off your jacket then." He said. I put my feet back down on the ground, pulling at the hem of the jacket. I pulled it off and over my head, setting it down on the booth next to me. Tony looked at my shirt, and smiled.

"Nice…. shirt." He said, and I looked down at my shirt. I was wearing a dark green cami. I shrugged.

"Now I really will be cold." I said, and Tony laughed. I rubbed my arms, feeling the last warmth on my skin leave. I heard laughter from the front of the restaurant, and looked up. A group of people were crowded in front of the TV, watching with great interest. One of the men laughed, and everyone around him started to laugh as well. Tony looked at the other TV near our booth, and sighed.

"Late night TV." He mumbled, looking down at me. I had curled my legs up underneath of me, and was leaning onto his shoulder. He smiled at me again. The waitress came back with Tony's food, and he moved to make room for the pizza tray. I looked at the pizza, my eyes going over the pepperoni. There was also pineapple and ham.

"That isn't kosher." I said, and he grimaced at me.

"I know." He said. I smiled.

"I decided to stop eating kosher when I came here." I said, and he threw a grin my way.

"Good, because I don't think I can eat this by myself."

"Really now?" I asked, honestly amused. He nodded, and I grabbed a piece. I took a bite, and Tony smiled. He grabbed a piece, and grabbed a bottle off the table. He poured some on his plate, and then dipped the pizza in it. I watched, confused.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Ranch."

"That's a ranch? I thought they were big and full of animals?" I asked, and he laughed.

"Well, yeah. But this is ranch dressing." He said, dipping his pizza in it again. I watched, and dipped my piece of pizza in the ranch. I took a bite, and tilted my head.

"Not bad." I said after I swallowed. We kept eating the pizza, and drinking our sodas. Tony took my soda, drinking it all. I glared at him, but got the waitresses attention. She took my cup back over to the soda fountain, filling it back up. She brought it back, and put it right down next to me. She glared at Tony before walking away and I smirked at him.

"She doesn't even know me and she's giving me dirty looks." Tony complained. I gave him a look before grabbing another piece of pizza. There were two pieces left, and Tony took one of them. I finished my piece, and looked at the last one. Tony took it, and smirked at me.

"You snooze, you lose." Tony said. I glared at him, taking a sip of my soda. I looked around the restaurant, smiling at an old couple eating a sundae. I looked up when a piece of pizza plopped down on my plate. Tony had cut it in half, and given the bigger half to me. I leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." I whispered before taking a bite of the pizza. Tony kissed my cheek, and then took a bite of his own pizza. When we finished, I took a drink of my soda.

"That was good." I said, and Tony grabbed my drink. I glared at him, and he smirked as he drank some.

"Drink your own drink." I growled.

"Yours is better." He said. I grabbed my soda back, giving him yet another look.

"That is my favorite look." He said, and I gently slapped his cheek.

"Thanks." I said, moving close to him. The waitress came back, and I saw her name was Olivia. She smiled at us.

"Do you guys want desert?" She asked, pulling out her pad. I looked at the desert menu. Tony looked over my shoulder, and pointed to a milkshake.

"Want to get a vanilla milkshake?" He whispered. I nodded.

"Okay." Olivia nodded, taking out menus and moving to the bar. I watched her as she made our milkshake.

"Ever shared a milkshake with someone?" He asked, moving his hands up and down my arms. I felt the goose bumps on my arms, and smiled at him.

"Thanks, and no. Why do you ask?" He smirked at me.

"I don't know. Just, curious." I shrugged, and smiled at Olivia when she put the glass down in front of us, and a silver cup next to that. She handed us two spoons, and gave us a look that said she doubted we would use both of them. I grabbed my spoon, putting it down next to me. I watched as Tony moved his spoon around in the milk shake, and then pulled a spoon of it out. He held it towards me, and I opened my mouth. He fed me some of the milk shake, and I took the spoon from him. I fed him some, and he smirked.

"You're enjoying this."

"You are too, even more maybe." I smirked at him. He took the spoon back, and fed me some more. We kept feeding each other, until started to feel way to full. I stopped Tony when he tried to give me another spoon full.

"I am done Tony. Too full."

"Yes ma'am." He said, and I glared at him.

"I hate being called ma'am." I said, and Tony shrugged.

"Fine, miss." He said.

"I hate that more." I said. Tony groaned.

"Then what should I call you? Sir?"

I laughed, and patted his stomach.

"Sweet checks is fine with me."

--

I slipped Tony's sweater back over my head as we got up to leave. Tony's arm slipped around my waist, and I leaned into him.

"Warm again?" He asked. I nodded.

"Can you put the top down?" I asked.

"Of course sweet checks." He said, walking over and opening up the hatch that held the top. I watched as he reached into the glove compartment and closed the top. I slipped inside, scooting over to the middle part of the front seat. Tony got in, smiling at where I was sitting, and shut his door.

"Like the middle seat?" He asked. I nodded, scooting right up next to him as he pulled out of the parking lot. I laid my head on his shoulder, feeling really tired. Tony put his arm around me, keeping his eyes on the road as he drove. I felt my eyelids drooping, but fought to stay awake.

"You can fall asleep." He whispered quietly. I shook my head.

"I don't want to." I whispered back. He laughed.

"Stubborn Ziva." He stated, stopping at a stop sign. When the car moved again, I reached forward and turned on the radio. I cursed as a slower song echoed through the speakers. I tapped my foot to the beat, humming the song.

_Tell me I'm special even though I know I'm not  
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad  
Barely getting mad  
I'm so glad I found you  
I love being around you  
You make it easy  
Its as easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4_

"I love this song." I whispered. Tony nodded.

"It's sweet." Tony said, holding me even tighter. His hand rested on my shoulder, and he squeezed it gently.

"You really don't have to say awake Ziva."

"I want too stay awake. It's my choice."

"Okay."

_There's only one way to say  
Those three words  
That's what I'll do  
(I love you) I love you  
(I love you) I love you  
1-2-3-4  
I love you  
(I love you) I love you_

"Awh, it's over." I said, and Tony laughed.

"There will be a new song." He said, pulling out onto the freeway. Earlier it had been empty, but now it was deserted. No one out on it now, we were the only ones.

_Is this the real life?  
Is this just fantasy?  
Caught in a landslide  
No escape from reality_

"I had no clue they still played this song!" Tony exclaimed, moving to turn up the radio. I listened, confused.

"What?" I said. Tony looked at me.

"Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen? You haven't heard this before?" He asked, looking at me. I was suddenly awake. I shrugged.

"No." I said, and Tony shook his head.

"Listen." He said, and I moved back into his shoulder. The song was long, and it wasn't done until we pulled off the freeway. When it was over, I looked up at Tony.

"What's so great about that song?" I asked. Tony shook his head again.

"I'll have you listen to it when you are awake."

"I'm awake now."

"If you were, you would think that was a great song."

"I'm not so sure about that." He said. I shook my head, hitting his stomach.

"Be nice." I said. He laughed, and pulled onto a street I didn't recognize.

"Where are we?" I asked. He looked at me, and grinned.

"Just, wait." He asked. I sighed, moving to look out the window. The car stopped, and I looked around. We were on a ridge, and I could see the whole city.

"This is beautiful." I said, and Tony grabbed my hand.

"It really is."

I looked at him, and saw he wasn't looking out the window. He was looking at me.

"You are ridiculous. " I said, kissing him softly. He touched my cheek, looking into my eyes.

"I'm honest." He said. I smiled, moving to get out of the car. He followed, and we sat on the hood of his car. He sat behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist. We sat and watched the lights of the city.

"This was the best first date ever." I whispered. Tony laughed.

"I'll say. Go to sleep Ziva." He whispered in my ear, kissing it gently. I snuggled more into his arms and finally let sleep take me.

* * *

**I really want to know your favorite lines and/or quotes. (: Pwease? This was one of my fav chapters to write. I mean, FAVORITE! Totally.**

Anywho, thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. I stayed home today with my sister, seeing as she was sick, and I decided to type this. :)

Reviews?

**Thanks love.**

_Izzy(:_


	21. Chapter 21: December

My favorite character is Fornell, just to let you guys know. I love that old bastard. (:

**Disclaimer: I have a new idea, which I got from a Klondike Bar commercial.**

Chapter Twenty-One: Shhh.

* * *

"DiNutso!" Fornell yelled, and I pushed my phone into my pocket. I looked up at him, and he glared at me.

"Give me that phone." He said, and some of the guys oohed at me. I pulled my phone back out of my pocket, throwing it to him. He caught it easily and put it away in his drawer. I sighed, moving back over to where Frank sat.

"Get your phone taken away dude? That sucks." Frank said, and I gave him a look.

"No shit." I mumbled, looking across the auto yard and up towards where photography was at.

"You were texting David, huh? How long have you guys been dating again? Because everyone is saying something different?" I looked at him, confused.

"Everyone?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah. There are these rumors going round that you've been dating for a week, others like three months. I don't know which to believe, and since I haven't talked to you in a while, I thought I ought to ask." He said, reaching into the car engine he was working on. I watched as he twisted some bolts, and thanked god the car wasn't running.

"Just about a month." I said, remembering the date. Frank looked up at me.

"But you guys have been like, what do they call it? Hey Sterling!" He yelled at the only girl in auto. She looked up.

"What Frank?" She asked, walking over to where we stood.

"What do you girls call your best buds again?" Frank asked, and I stifled a laugh. Sometimes he was so stupid.

"BFFS Frank. Are you honestly that dumb?" She asked, looking at what he was doing. Her eyes echoed what I was thinking.

"Might be." He said, his voice muffled by the car engine. Sterling shook her head as she walked away, and I saw the bemused look she had.

"You guys have been like "BFF" ever since the beginning of school. Like closer than me and you are." He said, looking up at me. I shrugged.

"Maybe it's because she's not stupid enough to touch that bolt Frank. You twist it anymore and it's going to fly off and hit you in the eye." I said, and he stopped what he was doing. He looked down at the bolt, and then laughed.

"Opps."

"Yeah. And so what?" I said, grabbing a towel and whipping off the battery dock. Frank shrugged.

"Well, you guys are close. I don't think it would have mattered if you started going out or not, you guys looked like a couple from the start." He said. I shook my head, walking away from him.

"Keep working Frank." I said, going over to where Josh sat in the front seat of a car. I slid in next to him, looking at what he was doing. He grimaced at me, his hands tied up in the wires. I smiled.

"Good going Josh." I said, reaching over and untangling his hands gently.

"Hey look. It's Fornell's TA." He said, and I looked up.

"Fornell's got a TA? Why?" I asked, looking at the kid.

"Because he wants one? I don't know." Josh said, looking back down at his hands that were completely untangled. "Thanks man." He said, and I nodded.

"No problem."

I got out of the car, walking over to where Fornell stood with his TA.

"Ah, DiNutso. Meet Sacks." He said, referring to the guy standing in front of me. I held out my hand, and he shook it.

"Nice to meet you, DiNutso." Sacks said, smirking a little. I glared at him.

"Likewise." I said, looking back at Fornell. "I'm done for the day." I said. Fornell quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh really? How about you get all of the dirty towels and put them in the washer over there." He said, and I groaned.

"Right." I said, moving around the shop to grab all of the towels. I muttered to myself as I threw them all in the makeshift washer, turning it on. I looked at the clock, and smile. Time to get changed.

--

"Tony!" Kate said from behind me, and I turned to look at her.

"What, Kate?" I asked.

"Ziva went home sick." Abby said, coming up behind Kate. Kate nodded, smiling at Abby.

"Oh." I said, looking at them. Fornell still had my phone, and that was probably why I was out of the loop.

"She didn't tell you?" Kate asked, sounding slightly gloating. I smirked at her.

"Fornell took my phone away." I said, and Kate laughed.

"Typical."

I walked towards the student parking lot, looking at Kate as I did.

"Need a ride home?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Get in." I said. She put her stuff in the back seat, and climbed in the front. We sat in silence, and when I pulled up to her house, she turned to me.

"Thanks Tony." She said, getting out of the car. I turned around, driving back to my own house. I cursed, wishing I had my phone. When I pulled up at my house, I saw an extra car at Gibbs. I jumped over the fence, heading into the garage. There, I saw Fornell.

"DiNutso, good to see you." He said, and Gibbs looked up. He looked amused.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs said. I nodded at them both. I jumped up the stairs, heading into the kitchen. Jenny was standing at the stove, boiling water.

"Hi Jenny." I said, and she smiled at me.

"Hey Tony. Ziva's upstairs in bed. She's not feeling so well." She said, pouring some of the hot water into a cup. I grabbed the box of tea, and she smiled.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked, and Jenny smiled softly at me.

"She can tell you if she wants. Now go give her this tea." She said, handing me the cup. I tilted my head, and she pushed me up the stairs. I laughed, holding the cup away from me as the hot liquid splashed about. I moved up the stairs cautiously, and knocked on Ziva's door. I heard her move, and the door opened. She didn't look sick in the face, but the way she stood looked like she had a stomachache.

"I have some tea for you." I said, and she smiled. She grabbed the tea, moving back into her room to sit down at her desk. She sat down as if she was uncomfortable, and I tilted my head at her.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded.

"Just feeling bad." She said, sipping on her tea. I saw her shift uncomfortably, and I moved to sit in front of her.

"Are you sure?" I asked again.

"Yes, Tony. I'm fine." She snapped, and I looked at her. She was sipping on her tea, one hand on her stomach.

"You aren't pregnant are you?" I asked teasingly. She glared at me.

"Tony…" She warned, and I held up my hands.

"Sorry, just couldn't pass it up." I said, and she sighed. She stood up, her pinstripe pajama pants hanging down to the ground, and walked over to her bed. She moved some of the blankets aside and curled up underneath them. I watched as she shut her eyes. She looked vulnerable, tired, and angry. It was weird.

"Ziva, what's wrong?" I asked quietly. When she didn't answer, I walked over to her. I smiled when I saw that she was asleep, and I moved her tea to her nightstand. I watched her sleep for a second before walking out of her room. Jenny looked up at me when I walked into the living room.

"She's asleep." I said, sitting down next to McGee on the floor. He had his laptop in his lap, typing away. I looked at what he was typing, and smirked.

"English report. McShakespeare?" I asked, and McGee groaned.

"Leave me alone Tony. I have to finish this report." He said, looking down at the book next to him.

"That's nice." I said before grabbing his book.

_(Abby's POV)_

"Tony!" Timmy yelled, putting his laptop down before reaching up to get his book back from Tony. They wrestled with each other before Tony's hand finally slipped, and Tim got his book back. I smiled at them bickering, glad that Tony's mind was off Ziva being 'sick'. He didn't need to worry about that.

"Tony, I swear. Stop." Timmy said, and then the both yelped out as dad slapped the back of their heads. Mom laughed, moving over on the couch to let dad sit next to her. I watched them, happy to know that love wasn't dead.

"DiNozzo, you stop it now or I'll kick you out." Dad warned, and I laughed from my seat. Tony glared at me before leaving Tim alone. He looked around, obviously bored.

"There is nothing to do." He said, and I jumped up.

"Yes there is! Come on!" I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him out to the garage.

"What? Work on Gibbs's boat?" He asked, and I gave him a look.

"It took some time, but I figured out that Ziva's a Scorpio." I said, and he tilted his head.

"You know, like you are a Cancer? Astrology? Come on Tony, work with me here." He nodded.

"Oh, birthday's. Got it." He said, and I smiled.

"Well, if Ziva is a Scorpio, that means that her birthday has passed and she didn't tell us. I want to give her a really really big birthday present!" I exclaimed, and Tony just stared.

"What is she doesn't want a huge present?" He asked, and I slapped his head.

"Ow! Okay, everyone has to stop that! I'm going to be brain dead soon."

"You already are if you think that Ziva shouldn't have a good birthday." I said to him, and he shrugged.

"Well, I know Ziva. I don't think she wants a huge ordeal." He said, sounding smart.

"Well, I don't care. I want to throw her a birthday party. No matter how late it is." I trailed off, grabbing a box down from the top shelf. Tony took it in his hands, holding it above my head as I moved out of his way. He sat it down on the table, dusting it off.

"What is this?" He asked, opening up the top. Inside was everything I needed to throw an amazing birthday party.

"This box is way better than any party store could ever be. And, well. If I need some more I'll go get some more. But this box, and the one on the highest shelf, is the best things in the world." I said, and Tony looked up at the box I was pointing at. He grabbed it, putting it down next to the other. I stopped him from opening that one, and he looked at me.

"No Tony. If you don't' think she should have a birthday party, you don't get to see." I said, smirking. He smiled gently at me.

"I'll accept that she is going to have a birthday party. Now let me see." He said, opening up the box. I watched as he looked at streamers, party favors, bags, and confetti.

"Abby, are you planning on throwing a party for everyday of the year?" He asked, looking at me. I shrugged.

"If I could!" I said, moving to grab the streamers he held.

"This reminds me of a movie." He said, his eyes getting distant. I stopped him.

"No."

"Yes. Not Another Teen Movie. That huge party they had. It was-" I put my hand over his mouth, shutting him up.

"That movie was retarded." I said.

"You saw it?!" He exclaimed, grabbing the bright pink streamers. He got a funny look on his face.

"Yes, you made me watch it with you. And whatever you are thinking about doing, stop." I said, and he smirked at me.

"Abs, do you think pink is Ziva's color?"

I smacked his head, and he laughed.

"Thought so." He said, still looking at the pink streamers. I grabbed them from him, and he smirked at me.

"But really." He said, moving to look into the box again. He pulled out a sign, and smirked.

"Congrats? Abby, who are you planning on having a baby?" He asked. I smirked at him.

"Well….. never mind. Burgesses had a baby." I said. "And so did the Hills. Children are born every day." I pointed out. He nodded.

"You are right, Holmes." I glared at him, and he laughed.

"Thanks Sherlock." I retorted, and he grinned his grin at me.

"Nice. I'm Sherlock." He said, looking smug.

"You won't be if you keep being stupid. Now come on! We need to plan this!" I said, grabbing a pad of paper and a pen. I wrote 'Operation Pink' on the top, and Tony laughed.

"I love you Abby." He said, and I grinned up at him.

"I love you too Tony. Now come on!" I said. He nodded, putting on an invisible hat.

"Thinking cap time! Okay, what do we need to plan?" He asked, looking at me. He leaned on the table on his elbows, looking up at me like a little kid.

"Well, we need to plan the _party_, Tony!" I put the pad on the table, handing him the pen. He sat there, pen poised on his chin. He smiled.

"How about a pool party? Nah, we already had one of those. Oh, I KNOW!" He exclaimed, keeping his voice down. "We throw a surprise party." He said, and I shook my head.

"She'll figure it out." I said, and he smirked at me.

"Well, we let her."

I stared at him, confused. He laughed. "Well, we let her figure it out, and she thinks she's got us. But then, we surprise her. We should kidnap her and take her somewhere." He said, and I finally remembered why he was the best person to go to for evil schemes.

"Tony, are you amazing." I said, patting his face. He smiled at me.

"I am?" He asked. I nodded.

"Yes. Now, how are we going to do this?" I asked, and he smiled.

"Well, we act like we are planning a surprise party. Send out mock invites, and make sure she sees one. I know she won't ask us about it. She'll want to just play along. But then, when she thinks we are having the surprise party, we really surprise her by taking her somewhere. Amusement park, zoo, Smithsonian; take your pick. But, we take her somewhere she doesn't expect. Completely throw off the ninja!" He said. I had to admit, it was genius.

"Tony, this might actually work." I said. Tony beamed, his eyes lighting up. I felt something warm in my stomach, and a smile broke on my face.

"So, what do we pick?" He asked, and I smirked.

"I've got the perfect idea."

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I picked up a piece of paper off the ground, and sighed at what it said. If they wanted it to be a surprise, they were doing such a bad job at it. I didn't even have to use my ninja skills, as Tony called them.

For the past 4 days, Abby and Tony had become secretive around me. When I woke up from my nap that Monday and after going to the bathroom to do some womanly stuff, I walked down stairs to see them in the garage. They pushed me out when I tried to go in however, Tony kissing my cheek and smiling. Then I saw the invites, and I was the one smiling. They had figured out my birthday had passed, and I hadn't told them. I didn't want a huge ordeal, but if they were going to make a huge ordeal out of it, I would let them. Besides, they would most likely only get to celebrate it once. It was pathetic, their attempts to hide it though. I found myself laughing as they hid stuff behind their back when I walked into a room, and rolled my eyes when Abby covered Tony's lap top one day. I knew they were planning. It was obvious.

"Tim, could you do us a favor?" Jenny asked, looking down at McGee. He nodded, getting up off the floor. Tony and Abby were sitting with their heads together, using hushed voices to talk.

"Can you go to the store? Jethro has the car and Tony is… doing something with Abby. We really need some stuff for dinner tonight." Jenny said, and McGee nodded. She then turned to me.

"Ziva, why don't you go with him?" She said, and I got what was going on. Today was the date. Friday, the day of their 'surprise' party.

"Okay." I said, getting up off the couch and moving over to stand next to McGee. I grabbed Tony's sweatshirt by instinct and slipped it on. Tony winked at me, causing me to shake my head.

"Have fun." Tony said, and I smiled at him. I followed McGee out to his car, where he waited until I got in to even open his door.

"Why would Jenny ask me?" McGee said, and I saw that he looked genuinely confused. I tilted my head. Abby and Tony had left him out of the loop?

"Well, I can't drive. I don't have my license." I said, and McGee nodded.

"She could have still gotten Tony to go." He mumbled, and I sighed.

"Let's just go McGee." He nodded, and started his car. We sat in silence for a while, until McGee spoke.

"What's on the list?" He asked, and I opened the piece of paper. I looked over the food, and smiled.

"Vegetables, chicken, some spices." I said, looking over the list. "Oh, and some apple cider." I said, and Tim laughed.

"For Abby." He said, and I nodded. Under the words apple cider, a little 'for Abby' was written. Tim pulled up to the grocery store, shutting off the car and getting out. I followed suit, following him inside. Tim said hello to the girl behind one of the registers before looking back to make sure I was behind him.

"Where are we going?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Produce."

When we found everything we needed, we walked back up to the front. I put an Izze up next to the rest, and McGee smirked at me. I shrugged, walking past him. I stood next to the bagger, who handed me the bags when he was done. I recognized him as Hank from gym class, and he smiled at me.

"See you in gym David." He said, and I smirked. McGee grabbed my arm, and I let him pull me back outside. I put the bag in the back seat, and climbed in the front. McGee got into the driver's seat.

"Have you ever tried to drive?" He asked, and I nodded.

"It's part of the reason I don't' have my license now."

McGee was silent the rest of the ride. I laughed to myself silently as I saw the wheels in his head turning, and when we pulled up to the house, he turned to me.

"It was that bad?"

I laughed, patting his cheek.

"Let's just say they are not fans of excessive speeding." I said, getting out of the car. McGee got out as well, a smile on his face. I walked up the walk, holding the bag in my hand. McGee was carrying the glass cider bottle, and was one-step behind me. I opened the door, and was met by Abby. She had a devious look on her face.

"Hey Abs. I've got apple cider for you." I said, and she smirked. She didn't say anything but pulled my arm. I allowed her to pull me into the living room. I was surprised to see three large suitcases on the ground, and an envelope on top of that. At first, I panicked. Was I going back to Israel? But then Tony's arms wrapped around my waist, and I melted into his embrace.

"Sweet cheeks were going to Orlando Florida." He said, and I looked at him.

"Why there?" I asked. He shook his head, giving me a bemused look.

"Disneyworld." He said, and I quirked an eyebrow.

"What?" I asked. Tony sighed.

"The greatest place on earth. Like, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty." He said, and I gasped.

"We're going there?"

* * *

**I know, kind of random. But, she forgot to mention her birthday. i think you all got her womanly problem. I hope at least....**

Anywho, two things.

One: I am so worried about Ziva in the actual show. And Tony's in lovee(:

Two: Kris Allen won American Idol!! I'm so happy. He's adorable. :) My girl moment.

Reviews? Thank you guys so much. I love all of your reviews.

Love, Izzyy.


	22. Chapter 22: December

I was typing this while watching _Untouchable _episode today, and I saw in the beginning how Ziva reaches up and grabs tony's hair. I was like, oo. Great Tiva episode. gotta say. :)

**Disclaimer: i'm on my mommys laptop, so you see any mistakes, sorry. And isn't authortive a word? it would only let me put authortize. When you see that, sorry.**

Chapter Twenty-Two: Childish.

**I've wanted to do this for a while, so I'm going to do it. While reading, I have a favorite line that I wrote purposevly. It's kind of like in that episode where Tony gets framed by Abby's lab tech, and McGee tells them about haveing a pregnancy test planted at a crime scene. Well, I have a 'pregnancy test' planted in this chapter. Not literaly, but you know. Try to find it. :) i'll tell you next chapter which one it was.**

* * *

I gently shook Ziva awake as I drove up the hotel we were staying at. And by us meaning Ziva, Abby, McGee and I. Abby and McGee were getting out of the car, moving to the trunk to get our stuff. I shook Ziva again, and she groaned.

"What?" She said, her accent coating the words. I smiled.

"We are here." I said and she nodded, moving her hand to the door handle and opening it. I watched her then got out myself. The air was muggy, and the sun hid behind the clouds. It was warm, but it was Florida. I grabbed my suitcase, and watched as Ziva grabbed hers. I followed her inside, coming up behind Abby. We had made reservations 4 days ago. I walked over to the front desk, and gave over the reservation number. The girl behind the counter smiled, and handed me the room keys. I thanked her and walked over to the elevator, everyone following me. McGee leaned up against the railing, his eyes shut.

"Tired, McSleepy?" I asked, and he stuck his tongue out. We rode the rest of the ride in silence, getting out on our floor. I found our room, and opened the door. Abby bound inside, squealing.

"Ah, we are actually going to Disneyworld!" She said, bounding around the room. McGee laughed, putting his suit case down next to the one bed. Ziva moved to the bed next to the window, and fell upon it. I smiled as she pulled the covers over her head and fell asleep. Abby sat down on the bed next to Ziva, rubbing her back. I smiled at the sight, then looked over at McGee. He had the funniest look on his face.

"Something wrong, McGeek? Forget all of your geeky stuff?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No. How are we going to sleep?" He asked, and I laughed.

"Scared to sleep in the same room as me, McScardy?" I asked. He glared at me.

"Maybe I am Tony." He said, and Abby got up.

"Guys, stop it. No one is going to do anything, or else I will kill them and leave no forensic evidence." She said, and that was the end of that.

--

Saturday, I was the second to wake, Ziva already up. I knew because she wasn't in the bed we were sharing. I reached over, feeling empty sheets. I heard the shower, and smiled. Rolling over, I sat up on the edge of the bed, running my hands over my face. I was a little tired after going out for food for the birthday girl at 3 AM, but it was all worth it. She was happy with her Taco Bell, finishing her tacos before we got back to the hotel. When we walked back in, Abby was curled up next to McGee, his arm around her waist. Ziva had smiled, and pulled me over to her bed. That was where we fell asleep, and where I awoke. I looked over at Abby and McGee, finding myself smiling at how cute they looked. It really was cute. There was no other word. Being friends for almost 10 years, they were allowed to be that close without someone thinking they were dating. Well, someone who knew them.

I stood up, stretching my arms above my head. I looked out the window, seeing the pool and the water slides. Maybe if we didn't have fun in the park, we could come back and swim. Even though I knew, that McGee wouldn't want to.

"Tony?" Ziva asked, and I turned around. She was wrapped in a big white towel, her wet hair messy and cascading down her back. My breath hitched.

"Yeah?" I choked out. She tousled her hair, walking over to her suitcase and grabbing a comb.

"Nothing. Morning." She said, and I smiled. She sat down in the chair next to the desk in the corner, holding the towel up around her body. She pulled the comb through her hair, grunting as it hit knots. She put her arm across her chest, trying to hold up her towel as she worked the knots out. I walked over to her, taking the comb and helping her to undo the knots in her hair. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning her head back to allow me to brush her hair. Her eyes shut as I worked through one of the knots, and she smiled.

"This feels nice." She said quietly, and I smiled as well. My fingers were now wet as I ran my fingers through her wet hair. It was soft, just as it always was, and just as thick. But it wasn't curly yet, like I liked it. When I finally finished combing her hair, she smiled up at me.

"Thank you."

I smiled, wrapping my arms around her and kissing her cheek. She reached up and patted my cheek, kissing me as well.

"You are welcome." I said, standing back up straight.

"Going to take a shower?" She asked, and I nodded.

"I need to change." She said, and I stopped. I looked at McGee, and shrugged.

"He isn't waking up anytime soon." I said, and she laughed. She reached down into her bag, grabbing a big t-shirt. She gave me a look, and I laughed. I walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Her shampoo still lingered in the air, and I saw her body wash on the bathtub. I picked it up, smelling it.

_That was how she smelled so good_. I thought to myself. I put it on the counter, and started the shower.

After my shower, I dried off and slipped back on my pajama pants. I carried my shirt as I walked back out, scuffing my hair. Droplets of water fell out of my hair and onto my shoulders. Abby was awake now, standing in front of the mirror in her pajama pants and her bra. I shook my head.

"Abby, get dressed." I said. She laughed.

"You aren't looking, are you Tony?"

"No, but McPeeker will be. Hurry up." I said, feeling very authorize for once. Abby nodded, grabbing her shirt and pulling it over her head. Ziva was sitting on the bed, her hair braided back. It just showed off her features.

"Have a nice shower?" She asked, looking up at me. She smirked, standing up and wrapping her arms around my torso. She went up on her tiptoes, kissing me softly.

"It was pretty great." I said, slipping my arms around her waist.

"Guys, there are other people in the room." Abby said, and I looked at her.

"Says the one who was standing in her bra and pajama pants." I said, and Abby shrugged.

"Keep it G." She said, and I laughed.

"Sure."

McGee stirred in his bead, and I rested my head on Ziva's. McGee sat up, rubbing his eyes. When he opened them, he shut them again and groaned.

"You guys are such children." He said, sitting on the edge of his bed. I let go of Ziva and walked over to my own suitcase. I found my shirt and jeans, slipping back into the bathroom before McGee could move into it. He groaned, and I laughed. I quickly changed, walking out to see Abby sitting next to the mirror, doing her makeup. Ziva was watching her, grabbing one of the black tubes when Abby had finished. McGee was dressed, much to my surprise. I sat down on the bed I had slept in, laying back. Abby sat down next to me, leaning up to whisper in my ear.

"We need to leave." She said, and I nodded. She sat back up, moving back to the mirror. She pulled her hair up into two braids, her fingers moving quickly. I watched, amazed at how fast she did it. When she was done, both she and Ziva looked at me.

"Let's go." They said together, and I smiled.

--

After three hours, and two soaks on water ride, I now had a new mission. Get Ziva to smile/laugh/act childish. She was laughing, smiling, and all of that, but she didn't seem to be having fun. Abby took McGee off by himself, so I had Ziva all to myself. I looked around, spotting a huge rollercoaster. I smirked.

"Wanna go on that Zee-vah?" I asked, drawing out her name. She looked up at the rollercoaster, the screams of its current passengers reaching our ears. I could see her eyes following the cars as they flew along, their passengers holding their hands up above their heads. A smile spread across her face, and I knew that was a yes. I grabbed her hand and pulled her up towards the ride. Seeing, as it was December, not many people were here. There was no school holiday coming up, besides Thanksgiving being just last week, and I don't think people went to Disneyworld for their Thanksgiving vacation. The lines were short, and I smirked when I saw that we could sit in the front car. Ziva saw me smirking, and nudged me.

"What are you thinking about doing?" She asked, and I just kept smirking. I walked over to the line to get into the front car, and Ziva took in a sharp breath.

"We are going to ride in the front Ziva." I said, and she looked up at me. I could see she looked a little apprehensive, so I took her hand. I was hoping it was that, and not the fact that she had enough time to process what was going on, that caused her to relax. She leaned against me, a smirk on her face.

"Are you going to be alright on this Tony?" She asked, and I grinned down at her.

"I'll be fine." I said, moving forward to sit in the seat. Ziva sat next to me, pulling the safety bar down over her head. I did the same, buckling the belt. A girl walked by, checking out belts. When she walked off the platform, the rollercoaster started to move. I looked over at Ziva, and saw she was smiling. We inclined, my feet dangling down into the air. I looked up at the wheels above my head, attached to the bar. I looked back down as we reached the top of the incline, and then started to drop. The wind blew past my ears, and I could barely hear anything as we twisted and turned. But, I could still hear the screams from the people behind me. I looked over at Ziva, and saw that her eyes were clamped shut. I grabbed her hand, and she looked at me. She smiled, and then we dropped again. I felt my stomach drop, and fought back throwing up. We finally came to a stop, and I looked back at Ziva. She was smiling.

"That was awesome." She said, unbuckling her belt and popping up her safety belt. We stood up, and I grabbed her hand. I pulled her down the stairs and back out in to the crowd of people. Ziva looked around, her free hand reaching up to check her hair. After getting wet, it had puffed out a little. But it still looked amazing. I pulled her down the walk way, towards the carnival games and food area. I smiled as I saw a basketball game, and pulled Ziva over to it. She looked at me skeptically, and I paid to play. The tender handed me three basketballs, and I lined up to shoot. I sunk all three shots, and Ziva smirked at me. The tender handed me three more, and I sunk them too.

"A winner!" The tender said, looking at me. "Take your pick of prizes." He said, pointing to all of the prizes on the wall behind him. I looked at them, then back at Ziva. I never pictured her for a plain brown teddy bear kind of girl, so I pointed to the huge panda bear. The guy pulled it down, handing it to me. He gave me a knowing look, and I smiled.

"Thanks." I said, and he nodded. I held the panda bear in my arms as I walked over to Ziva. She looked at the panda, and then at me. I held out the panda for her, and she took it with a smile. She stood up on her tip toes and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you Tony." She said, the huge panda almost as big as she was. She looked around, and smiled. She handed me back the panda, and moved over to a dart game. She paid to play, and the tender handed her five darts. She positioned her hand, and then threw her first dart. It hit dead center. I smirked at the tenders face, and watched as she did it four more times. The tender's mouth fell, and I laughed out loud. He handed her three more, and pointed to a dart board farther away. Again, she hit dead center. The tender's mouth fell, again, and he shook his head. This time, Ziva got to choose the prize. When I looked up, I gasped.

"Indiana Jones!" I said, looking up at the huge pillow. Ziva smirked at me. She pointed to the pillow, and the teller handed it to her. She kept it in her hand however, and I reached for it.

"Ziva, I'll love you forever if you give me that." I said, and Ziva's smirk got bigger.

"I have no doubt." She said, turning to face me. "But I also think that no matter I do, you'll love me." She whispered, and I smiled.

"You're good David." I whispered back, grabbing the pillow from her hand. I handed her back the panda, and she smiled at me.

"There you are." She said, and I smiled. I kissed her nose, and she giggled.

"Thanks." I said, and we walked back down the row. Ziva slipped her hand into mine, and we walked down to the food courts. I spotted a pizza shop and pulled her over to it. She grabbed my pillow, holding it in her hands as I got some pizza. When I turned around, I saw that she was talking to a guy.

"How did you win those?! You only get those when you like, win the extra games too." He said, and Ziva nodded.

"Yes, we both won." She said. The guy raised his eyebrow.

"We?" he asked. Ziva motioned to me, and he nodded. It didn't take a genius to see what he was thinking. He walked away with his soda, and I walked back over to Ziva with pizza in hand. She smiled up at me, and I took back my pillow and replaced it with a slice of pizza. She took a bite, sitting down at an empty table. She kept her panda next to her, and I held the pillow in my arm. I looked around, squinting as the sun burst through the clouds. It was early afternoon, and more people were now in the park.

"Tony, when are we going to go find Abby and Tim?" She asked, holding her panda near her face. I smiled at how childish she looked.

"Once you have some more fun."

--

After at least three more hours of fun, Ziva had a huge smile plastered on her face that didn't seem to leave. I felt proud of myself, knowing that I was the reason that smile was there. She was constantly laughing as I pulled her around the park, going on ride after ride, exhibit after exhibit. We even played some more games, and got enough prizes to give everyone one when we got back, even Gibbs.

"Abby, where are you?" Ziva asked into her phone, and I could hear Abby on the other end of the line. Ziva nodded, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the front gate. I followed her dutifully, making sure that I stayed right next to her. When we reached the front gate, I saw Abby and McGee. Abby had on Mickey Mouse ears, and McGee was holding that I hoped was a bag of trinkets that Abby had bought. Abby grabbed Ziva the second she walked within grabbing distance.

"Wow! How did you guys get all of these prizes? Well, how am I kidding? You guys are like, amazing people and can do anything!" Abby said, pulling Ziva out of the park. I walked next to McGee, and he looked at the pillow I was holding.

"Where did you get that?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"Don't play darts with Ziva." I said, and he nodded.

"I'll remember that."

When we got back to the car, I opened the trunk. Ziva and I piled our prizes in. Abby put her trinket bag in, and then we all piled into the front. Abby announced that she was hungry, and she wanted a good burger. She spotted a Burger King, and ordered me to pull over. I did as I was told, and we all piled out. Abby pulled McGee inside, and I smiled down at Ziva.

"Do you think anything happened between them when we were gone?" I asked, and she gave me a look.

"Tony, they are best friends. Yes, they are close and are affectionate, but it doesn't mean they are in love. They just are close and enjoy each other's company. It's hard to explain." She said, following Abby and McGee inside. "Look, see how they are standing? A normal person wouldn't know that they were best friends. They see two people, who seem to be really close. They would think what you think. But, if you look close enough, they aren't standing close like we are, and they aren't holding hands. It's all how you look at it." She said, her hand squeezing mine. We ordered our food, and then moved to sit opposite McGee and Abby. Abby was talking away, and she and Ziva started to have a conversation. They were trading stories, and when our order number was called McGee got up to get the food.

"Ah, my Kids Meal." Abby said, grabbing her bag and taking out the toy. I grabbed it from her, and she glared at me.

"Eat first." I said, and she threw me a mad look. She opened her bag and pulled out her food.

"Ah, food." I said, digging into my Double Whopper. Ziva shook her head at me, pulling the wrapper off her burger slowly. She took just as big of bite as I had, and I smirked at her. I grabbed some of her fries, and she smacked my hand.

_(Abby's POV)_

I watched as Tony and Ziva ate each others food, giving each other glares every now and then. But I knew that the glares were loving. Tony finished off Ziva's fries before she was done with her burger, and she glared at him. She reached over and grabbed his thing of fries, and started eating them. He tried to grab them back, but she hit him in the gut. He groaned.

"Ziva, give me them back. They are mine." He said, and she gave him a look. They continued sharing their food, soon finished. I looked over at Timmy, who just shook his head at the look I gave him. When we all finished our food, Tony handed me my toy. I laughed, taking it from his hand. We walked out, and back into Tony's car. Ziva got in the front, and scooted over into the middle to sit next to him. For the whole ride, she sat under his arm. They talked quietly, and I looked at McGee. He was looking out the window.

"Timmy?" I whispered, and he looked at me. I grabbed his hand.

"They look cozy." He said. I nodded.

"Yes, they do." I whispered back. We were quiet the rest of the ride, and I curled up next to him. When we got to the hotel we all got out of the car. It wasn't dark yet, and Tony's eyes lit up.

"Wanna go swimming?" He asked, and I jumped.

"Yes, I wanna go swimming. Yes!" I said. We got into the elevator, and I leaned into whisper in Ziva's ear.

"Excited?" I asked, and she shrugged. She opened the door to the room, and walked over to her bag. I followed her, grabbing my swim suit. We slipped into the bathroom to get changed, and I heard the phone ring. Ziva was just pulling her top on when Tony knocked on the door.

"Guys, you need to come out here." He said, sounding upset. I slipped back on my skirt, and Ziva put back on her jeans. We walked out, and I saw Tony's eyes to go Ziva's body. He then looked us in the face.

"Gibbs called. We aren't going home." He said. I looked at him, confused. I could feel the confusion coming off of Ziva.

"Why not?" We asked at the same time, and Tony ran his fingers through his hair.

"Well, there is a……. problem." He said, and I put my hands on my hips.

"Tony, tell us." I said. He sighed.

"My dad got out of the jail, and Daddy David arrived unexpectedly."

* * *

**So, i was talking to some of my buddies on here, and we were talking about Daddy David and Daddy DiNozzo meeting. I think OutCold was one of them. I also had someone ask where Daddy DiNozzo was, and there you go. I know that he would probably be in for longer, but my dad was in jail for a couple days for the somewhat same charge. Being drunk in public, or something. I didn't ask haha. No need. :) I'm rambaling.**

**Anywho, send me that line you think is the 'pregnancy test'. But, review even if you don't have the 'pregnancy test'. Because I reallly love reviews. And since it's a THREE DAY WEEKEND i'm thinking about updating fast. Since tomorrow is a all day marathon of NCIS and Judgement day parts one and two are on. I shall be watching. :D**

Loves for all(:

-Isabel, aka Izzy.


	23. Chapter 23: December

Authors note at the bottom, read it.

**Disclaimer: I own a thing of crackers, that are loved by all. Three day WEEKEND! :D**

Chapter Twenty Three: Daddy D. vs. Daddy D. vs. Daddy G.

* * *

Ari and Tali looked a little more nervous than usual. Maybe it was that their dad had just shown up, unexpectedly, or maybe it was because of the words he was yelling in Hebrew. Whatever it was, it had the usually calm and collected Ari in a fret, and the usually laid back Tali looking nervous as ever. I was somewhat glad that Kate was sitting in between them, holding both of their hands. She was calm, but I don't think she understood what Eli was yelling. I saw the reassuring squeeze Kate gave Ari's hand, and smile.

"You've got a _lot_ of nerve showing up like this David." Jethro yelled, and then I heard something slam down.

"Where is my daughter Gibbs?" Eli asked, and I heard Jethro stop his pacing. I saw Tali flinch, and I guessed this was bad.

--

_(Tony's POV)_

"Ah, stop that Ziva! No, ouch, stop… okay not cool. Eek, Ziva you scare me!" Abby said as she and Ziva swam around the pool. I watched as Abby started to tickle Ziva, and Ziva gave Abby a death glare. McGee winced as he watched Abby and Ziva start to wrestle. They started to laugh soon after, and I was glad we had come down to the pool.

Ziva seemed to freeze up and go back into her shell when she heard that her father had arrived. After a whole day of pulling her out of it, she curled back into it with a book and a blanket. But now, she was playing with Abby in the pool and she was acting completely childish. Abby was doing a good job of keeping her preoccupied, but that was a given. Abby was good at that.

I watched as her and Ziva wrestled as they jumped up the stairs to go down the huge water slide. They were each wearing their bathing suits, and were wearing shirts. It was still warm and muggy out, and the sun was just starting to set. I could see the heat coming off the pool, and the water glared in my eyes. I heard Abby squeal and looked up to see her and Ziva going down the slide at the same time. Abby was sitting in front of Ziva, and Ziva had her arms around Abby's waist. I smiled as they hit the water, their screams overtaken by the water. I looked at McGee.

"Wanna go down the water slide?" I asked him, and he shook his head.

"Not really Tony. I'm not a fan of water slides." He said, looking back down at his book. I glared at him, but got up and walked over to the stairs. I started up the stairs when two wet arms went over my shoulders. She jumped up on my back, and I held her legs.

"Wanna ride?" I asked, and she laughed.

"What do you think?" She said, and I smirked. I carried Ziva up the stairs, the back of my shirt getting soaked in the process. When I reached the top, I put her down. She smiled at me.

"You go first." She said, and I shook my head. I grabbed her around the waist, and sat down on the slide. She sat in my lap, and I pushed off the side. I wrapped my arms around her waist as we slid down the slide, her hands lying on top of my arms. I put my chin on her shoulder, kissing her cheek. She smiled at me, and we twisted around a corner. We lost our balance, and I ended up lying on my back with her right next to me. I smiled at her as we fell off the slide and into the pool.

I swam to the surface, and I saw Ziva was already up. She smiled at me, swimming over to where I was floating. She wrapped her arms around my neck.

"That was fun." She said, and I smiled. I pulled her back across the pool, into the deep end. She let go of me, and swam under the water. I dived down, swimming with her. When we resurfaced, she smirked at me. She swam forward, putting her arms around my neck, and kissed me.

--

_(Kate's POV)_

"I have half a sense to kick you out Eli."

"Where is my daughter Gibbs? I want to know where she is, now!"

I felt Ari shift next to me, and I squeezed his hand again. He and Tali seemed exceptionally tense, and even a little scared. It seemed like the second you got happy, the world had to even it out. I saw Jenny fidget, moving off the couch and into the kitchen. She waved her hand at us to follow, and we did.

"Leave. Go to the park, the movies, somewhere. You guys don't have to be here for this." She whispered, handing Ari some money, and then handing him her car keys. He looked confused, but nodded. I followed him out the door, when I felt Tali stop. I turned around to look at her.

"Tali, come on." I said. She shook her head.

"I'm staying." She said, and walked back inside. I looked up at Ari, who shrugged.

"She will not come just because you make her." He said, pulling me down the walkway and to Jenny's car. We sat in silent until I decided to break it.

"Why is your dad so angry?" I asked. Ari didn't look at me, but kept his eyes on the road. He turned down a side road.

"It's complicated." He said, sounding unsure. "See, my father is very traditional. Very. But he also doesn't think about things thoroughly. When he had Micheal come here to date Ziva, he was thinking that they would eventually get married. He thinks that just because you are dating, you will get married. You might, or you might not, but he doesn't think like that. He thinks that you only date one person in your life. His marriage was arranged. He doesn't know what it is like to actually like someone and date them. To him, it's all different. When he found out that Ziva was dating Tony, and I honestly don't know how, he was angry."

"Wait, how did he know they know they were going out? I didn't even know they were dating officially for two months!?" I asked, and Ari shrugged.

"He's director of Mossad. He has spies and assassins at ready, and can call them to duty to do anything. I still wonder how he knew that. It's kind of creepy." He said, and I laughed. I moved across the seat, so I was sitting next to him, and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Well, it's Mossad." I said, and he laughed. We didn't move from our position, and we didn't speak of it. It was how our relationship worked.

"He got angry over it though. Very angry." He said. I nodded.

"Why? Besides him thinking that it meant they are going to get married?"

"He's not Jewish." Ari stated plainly, and I looked up at him. He nodded, and I huffed.

"That's mean. Religion doesn't mean anything." I said. He smiled.

"He's also angry at me because I am close to you and you are not Jewish." He said. I shook my head, kind of upset he said close not dating.

"That's so…. old fashioned. Kind of like saying black people can't marry white people." Ari gave me a look, and I sighed. "You know what I mean." I said. He nodded.

"I know what you mean. Don't worry." He said, grabbing my hand tentatively. I smiled at him.

"I don't."

--

_(Jenny's POV)_

"You don't understand Gibbs."

"Enlighten me. I'm a fast learner."

"If you did understand or wanted to, Ziva would be here."

"Stop dancing around the question!"

"I'm not dancing! You just won't understand."

There was a pause.

"Try me Eli." Jethro said, and I heard Eli sigh.

"Abigail is your adopted daughter, right?"

"She's my daughter."

"Not biologically."

"Does this have anything to do with Ziva, or are you just interrogating me?"

"You won't understand. Abigail is not your flesh and blood."

I winced at those words. I knew what was coming. I heard something bang, and then I heard hushed words.

"I've been Abby's father since she was 2 months old. I'm her father, and I'll always be her father. You want to tell me I'm not her father; I won't hesitate to hurt you." Jethro said, and I heard Eli take in a deep breath.

"My apologizes. I didn't know."

"Well know you do. Stop dancing."

I moved on the couch, listening to their conversation. Tali was asleep next to me, her head on my leg.

"Anthony is not Jewish."

I almost coughed, but I stopped myself. However, I did have the sudden urge to kick Eli's ass. He had no right to do that to them, not them. I wondered if he knew about Kate and Ari's relationship.

"Does it matter?" Jethro asked.

"It does. See, you don't understand."

"Actually, I do. I just don't see why it matters."

Eli walked out into the living room, and glared at his daughters sleeping figure before looking at Jethro.

"Where did Caitlin and Ari go?" He asked, and I looked down at Tali. I didn't answer, and I felt Jethro's hand on my shoulder.

"Jen, where are they?" He asked. I looked up at him, and he seemed to understand.

"They aren't here." Jethro said, looking up at Eli. What Eli did next caused me to jump.

He twirled around, grabbing a glass off the table, and throwing it at the wall. It caused Tali to wake, but she didn't jump like I did. She patted my leg, and fell back to sleep. I guess she was used to this. Eli yelled something in Hebrew, and Tali sat up to whisper in my ear.

"He just said God damn it." She whispered, putting her head on my shoulder.

"Gibbs, I want all three of my kids back here, now!" Eli yelled, and Tali rolled her eyes. She said something in Hebrew to her father, and he looked disgusted.

"Be quiet Tali." He said, and she suddenly looked furious. She stood up, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the study. They started to bicker in Hebrew, and I looked at Jethro. He sat down next to me, pulling me into a hug.

"He is pissing me off." I said, and Jethro laughed.

"I hate irrational people. Especially people who take it to this level." He said. I nodded.

I heard Tali's voice rising, and then I heard Eli's voice drop. Their argument was hard to follow, since it was all in Hebrew. Suddenly, Tali burst out in English.

"You bastard. Fill your agenda yet? This is Ziva's life, what she wants. Yeah, it is all going to end in the summer, but you don't have to hurt her now. Go back to Israel, and Ari and I will be there in three days. Our plane tickets are already bought. Leave. Ziva. Alone." Tali said, and then she stormed out of the study. She smiled at us, her dark brown eyes filled with anger, and then she made her way up the stairs. I watched as Eli walked out, and looked at Jethro and I on the couch.

"I will be leaving now." He said, and Jethro nodded. Eli walked out the door, and I heard his car start. As soon as I heard it pull away, I turned to Jethro.

"Do you think-?"

"Yeah. I think that was his idea." He said. I shook my head, and got up.

"Jen, don't go talk to Tali." He said, and I glared at him.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because she is already angry. You're forgetting their training." He said, and I nodded.

"Right, assassins." I said, sitting down.

"Not assassins, Jen. Just, trained." He said. I nodded, looking out the window.

"I wonder where Kate and Ari went."

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

I was tired. Very, very tired. And I think Tony knew that. He carried me back up to our room, Abby and McGee ahead of us. Abby kept looking over her shoulder at us, throwing me a look. I just rolled my eyes and buried my face in Tony's neck. When we got back to our room, he sat me down on the ground. I moved to my suitcase, pulling out Tony's large shirt and a pair of short shorts. I moved into the bathroom, changing into the clothes I had. I walked back out to see Abby waiting, and she ran past me into the bathroom, pushing the door closed. I fell back against it, my legs weak.

"Tony?" I called, and suddenly he was right next to me.

"Yeah, sweet checks?" He asked, putting his arm around my waist. I smiled at him.

"Help me walk to bed?" I asked, and he nodded. Gently, he put pressure on my back, leading me over to my bed. He pulled back the covers, and I curled up. I shut my eyes, and I felt Tony kiss my head.

"Sleep." He said, lying down next to me. He turned on the TV, and I heard the news play. I felt his arm go around my shoulders, and I moved closer to him. I moved my head to his chest, and opened my eyes. I moved so my leg was around his waist, and buried my face into his soft shirt. I had no clue how he got his shirts to stay so soft.

"Comfortable?" He asked, and I nodded. I put my hand on his chest next to my head, and started to drift off to sleep.

"Aw, she looks so cute." Abby said, and then someone shushed her.

"Well, she is cute." Abby said quieter. I heard a bead squeak, and then I heard Abby hum to herself. The TV was then turned up, and Tony shifted. I hard McGee laugh, and then I heard Abby laugh too. Tony's hand ran through my hair, pulling the braid out. I smiled at the feeling of his hand gently combing out my hair, and then it started to trace circles over my temple. I sighed deeply, content and warm.

_(Tony's POV)_

I heard Ziva sigh, and I smiled to myself. She seemed to have completely forgotten about her father, and that we had to stay here while he was at her house. I traced circles down her jaw line, her skin very soft. I felt some butterflies in my stomach, and I took a deep breath.

"Tony, can I use your phone to call dad?" Abby asked, and I nodded. I reached into my pants to get my phone, when I remembered I was wearing my pajamas.

"It's in my jeans Abs." I said, and she got up. She reached into my jeans pocket, pulling out my phone. I watched her type in the numbers, then put the phone to her ear.

"Daddy! How are you?" Abby asked, and I heard chatter on the other end.

"No, they are just curled up, watching TV." Abby said, looking at where Ziva and I sat. I heard more chatter, and then Abby smirked.

"Here you go." She said, handing the phone to me. I put it to my ear.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"DiNozzo, do you have enough money to stay buy another ticket home?" Gibbs asked.

"I'm not sure. I might have enough for myself and maybe one other person. Why? We get to go home?"

"Yes. I'll call McGee's mom, see if she can pay me back for his ticket. I'll pay for Abby's too. But you guys need to stay down there until we say you can come back up here."

"Gibbs, what's going on?" I asked. I heard him say something to Jenny, and her respond.

"Eli is here, demanding all three of his kid's home. Ari is off with Kate somewhere; Jenny told them to book it. Tali told her dad that they would be home in three days, her and Ari that is. He said he was leaving, and I'm not sure if he meant the country or just the house." Gibbs said. I nodded.

"Alright. Just, call us when he leaves."

"Your dad is also here. He just called to ask for you."

I froze, and Ziva looked up at me. Her eyes were sleepy, but she was apprehensive. She put a hand on my cheek, as if she knew what Gibbs just said.

"Tony, you alright?" Gibbs asked, using my first name for the first time I could remember. I nodded, but then realized he couldn't see that.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, and Ziva glared at me. She knew that I wasn't.

"I'll call you guys tomorrow." Gibbs said, and then hung up. I looked down at Ziva, closing my phone. She was looking straight through me, and I hated it and loved it at the same time. She didn't say anything about my lie.

"What did Gibbs want?" She asked.

"Just wanted to tell us to stay here until he calls. Your dad wants to take you home apparently." I said, and she held onto me tighter. I kissed her hair.

"Calm down Ziva. He isn't actually going to take you." I whispered into her ear. She nodded.

"I know. Just…. bad thoughts." She whispered. I pulled her into a hug, and she relaxed.

"So, when are we going home?" Abby asked. I smiled at her.

"As soon as Daddy David leaves." I said. Ziva looked up at me, smiling.

"Daddy DiNozzo is still there." She said. I stuck my tongue out, and she smacked my mouth.

"So what." I said. She laughed, moving her head back to my chest.

--

_(Third Person)_

Eli David walked into the store, keeping his hands at his sides. He was looking for some food, seeing as he was hungry, and he hated fast food. Moving down the aisle, he found some spicy chips, a bottle of wine, and some ice cream. He closed the freezer door, turning around. A man was standing next to the wine, staring longingly at it. Eli watched as he reached out, and then pulled his hand back. The man turned around, grabbing a bag of Kettle Chips. He turned, and saw Eli watching.

"Take a picture. It lasts longer." He said, moving down to the freezer section. He walked past Eli, grabbing a pint of ice cream. Eli looked at the man.

"Do you have a problem?" Eli asked, and the man laughed.

"Yeah, I can't find my son." The man spat, his green eyes moving over the Mossad Director. Eli looked at the man curiously.

"You've lost your son?" He asked, and the man nodded.

"He left, with his girl friend and best friend." The man told Eli.

"Is your son named Anthony DiNozzo?" Eli asked, and the man tilted his head a little.

"How do you know that?" Mr. DiNozzo asked. Eli's gaze suddenly became angry.

"Because your son's _girlfriend_ is my daughter." Eli spat, and Robert stopped. The men stared at each other, squaring off and sizing each other up.

"Got a problem with that?" Robert asked. Eli frowned.

"Yeah, a huge one."

"Well, then I guess you're screwed." Robert said, and Eli took a step forward. Robert didn't move.

"I can see the resemblance now." Eli said, and Robert gave him a look. "Big, arrogant, and ass-ish."

Robert laughed, putting his ice cream back in the freezer.

"You got something you want to tell me?" Robert asked, and Eli nodded.

"Yeah, I do. Your son is a bad apple." Eli said. Robert looked taken back.

"How would you know? Have you met him?!" He asked. Eli shook his head. "Yeah, thought so. So keep your mouth shut. I haven't said crap about your daughter, so I'd appreciate if you kept your mouth shut about my son."

"You shouldn't say shit about my daughter. She's a good girl." Eli defended.

"And my son is good too." Robert retorted. They were silent for a second, and then Eli rolled his eyes.

"That's a lie." Eli said.

"What have you got against my son that I don't know about?" Robert asked. Eli took another step forward, Robert was at least half a foot taller than Eli.

"He's not Jewish." Eli spat. Robert stared at him incredulously.

"Are you honestly telling me that you don't like my son because he is not Jewish?"

"Yes, and you also don't understand." Eli said, moving to walk away. Robert grabbed his shoulder.

"You are blind if you can't see that our kids really like each other. Moreover, you hating my son because he is not Jewish is like me not grabbing that bag of chips off the shelf because you grabbed it. I'm not the ass, you are."

"Really? Then why were you arrested for drunken conduct, and why did Ziva have to use restraint on you?" Eli asked, seeing he had hit a nerve. He smirked a little, and Robert smirked back.

"Shows that she can take care of herself, and she doesn't need you to watch over her shoulder." Robert shot back, and Eli stopped.

"Are you telling me to not parent my child?"

"I'm telling you to leave her alone. Leave both of them alone."

Eli glared at Robert, and he gently pushed on Robert's chest.

"I will not leave her alone. She is my daughter."

"Then leave my son alone. He isn't yours to govern."

"He's dating my daughter. I think I have a say in what goes on in her life, and since he is in her life I think I can govern him."

Robert smiled.

"So that means I can govern your daughter's life?" He asked with a smirk. Eli walked a little closer to Robert.

"Stay out."

"Same goes for you."

The men glared at each other.

"I don't take orders from you." Eli whispered. Robert just smiled.

"And I don't take orders from you. Now, step out of my way." Robert said, walking past Eli. However, Eli wasn't having any of that. Instead of moving, he dropped all of his stuff, the wine bottle shattering, and swung a punch.

* * *

**Just to let you know, I HATE third person. If that seems the least bit messed up or weird, know it's because I hate third person. My first perosn writing is way better. I know from experience. Haha. A couple things.**

**One: This chapter goes to ejn10175 who is still up at midnight waiting for this haha. Thanks girl. And thanks to Silent Falling Rain for the Chapter title. :)**

**Two: While watching Driven today for the first time, I saw this little moment that made me smile. Tony opened the door for Ziva, and I was like awhh.**

**Pregnancy Test: You guys are awful. Haha. Don't even try. Well, I believe only three people got it. Speedyman156, Viktorjia, & Silent Falling Rain. :) Go you guys. PM me about your little reward. I have an idea. haha.**

**Four, Pregnancy Test was three: On my profile, there is a little poll. I have the options as to how this story is going to end. They are very vauge, seeing as I still have to write the ending. Haha. :) But, I want you guys to have some sort of say. I will say this, I'm not sure I want to do a sequl to this story. It just seems stupid. I have so many other ideas going on right now. Anywho, there are some ideas there, and pick the one you like best. I myself am a fan of the post both endings option. I like both the options equally. Vote, thanks.**

**That's it for now. I have a one shot coming up soon. I have this idea that WON'T go away.**

**Reviews? Thanks. And sorry for the long authors note.**

**Lovers for all**

**-Izzy.  
**


	24. Chapter 24: December

**This ones for Silent Falling Rain.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

**Chapter Twenty Four: Never Mind.**

_**

* * *

**_

_Black. Black hats, black clothes, black mascara running down faces. Black nail polish, black shoes. Black was everywhere. The sky was dark, the sun not shining and the rain threatening to fall. I looked up from my hands, to see a casket. It was open, and people were looking down into it. Dark hats, tissues in hand. People were crying, but I had no clue over what. I looked around. Abby was sitting to my left, dressed in a black dress and black hat. She was holding an umbrella, and her hair was down. Ziva was to my right, dressed in a black dress. Her hair was straightened, and pulled back in a twist. Next to her were McGee, and then Kate. On the other side of Abby were Jenny and Gibbs. Everyone was dressed in black, and they all looked sullen._

"_Guys?" I asked, but no one looked at me. They all stood up though, and I followed. I didn't know what was going on. We walked up to the coffin, and when I looked in, I gasped. Lying in there, pale and dead, was my dad._

"No!" I said, sitting up in bed. I was breathing hard, my forehead covered in sweat. I looked around, and saw that McGee and Abby were asleep, Abby curled up next to McGee's side. He looked content, his cheek on Abby's head. I looked down and saw that I had awoken Ziva, and she was now staring at me.

"Tony, are you alright?" She asked, sitting up. I looked around. Hotel room, Florida, Disneyworld; Ziva's birthday present. I was fine. This was not a funeral.

"Yeah…" I said, whipping off my head. Ziva rubbed my back, moving so she was sitting right in front of me.

"No, you're not. What's wrong?" She insisted, and I let myself fall back on the bed. I put my hands over my eyes, rubbing them to get the image out of my head. I felt something on top of me, and I looked up. Ziva was sitting on my waist, her hands on my chest. I smiled at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"It was nothing. Just a dream." I said, reaching up to wrap my arms around her waist. She held herself up though, and gave me a look.

"Nightmare." She countered, and I sighed. She was too good.

"Sure." I said. Ziva sighed, rolling off me and onto the floor. She sat there, staring at me. I sat up, swinging my feet over the edge of the bed. She moved back from me, and I knew what she was playing.

"What kind of nightmare?"

"A bad one. Why do you want to know?" I asked, staring her down. But she didn't budge. We were equally stubborn.

"Because, you woke me up due to your thrashing." She said, holding up her arm to show me a scratch. I winced, scooting off the bed and sitting in front of her. I gently pulled her arm to my lips, kissing the scratch. She smiled at me, and then pulled her arm away. I sighed.

"We were at a funeral." I said, and Ziva tilted her head.

"A funeral? For who?" She scooted closer to me, and I grabbed her hand.

"My dad."

Ziva tilted her head, now moving so she was sitting next to me. She didn't speak, rubbing small circles over my hand and arm. We didn't talk for a minute, and then Ziva moved so she was facing me.

"It was just a dream." She said. I shook my head.

"It felt really real." I stressed the really, and Ziva patted my cheek.

"It was a dream." She reiterated. I sighed, letting my head fall back on the bed. It was just a dream. Nevertheless, it seemed so real. Like it was actually happening, the feeling of sadness present. But it wasn't real. I had to remind myself that.

"Tony, it's alright. Tony, calm down." Ziva said, and that was when I realized I was crying. I tried to stop the feeling, the tears flowing down my face. But when I opened my eyes, I saw Ziva's caring eyes. I didn't know why I was crying. I hate my father, hated him since I was old enough to understand what kind of a man he was. And now here I was, shaken up about a dream in which he was dead. Ziva's hand moved up my arms, over my shoulders and to my face. I looked at her, and she sadly smiled.

"It's alright." She whispered, kissing my forehead. I shook my head, willing the sadness to go away. I never cried. Hadn't probably since I was a baby. Well, besides the time Frank thought it was funny to kick me in the groin. But that was a few tears, and a lot of awkward walking. But now I was crying over my _father_, the bastard that had left my mom and me when I was six, and rarely contacted me during my life. The bastard that forgot how old I was turning for the one birthday party he showed up to. And when he did send me something for Christmas, it was only money. Because he had no clue what I would have wanted. No, this was all wrong. Why was I crying?

I rubbed my eyes, feeling the wetness. This was so wrong. Ziva moved so she was in my lap, and pulled me close.

"It's only natural." She said, and I nodded. I moved my head to her neck, and sighed.

"No, it's not."

--

_(Jenny's POV)_

Jethro seemed overly angry as we drove to the police station, his driving more like Middle Eastern cab driver than an American man. I didn't hold onto anything though. I was completely used to this. I did, however, feel sorry for Tali in the back seat. She was holding onto the door, her legs pushed up under the front seat. I smiled at her, and she grinned back. Jethro started to grumble again, and he parked out front of the station. He got out, inside before I even got out of the car. Tali undid her belt, jumping out as I did. I gently slid my arm around her shoulder, and she shook her head.

"This is going to be…. amazing, yes?" She said, and I grinned.

"Oh yes, it is." I said as we walked into the station. I was assaulted by the sounds, the ringing of phones, people yelling, and computers buzzing giving me a head ache. I saw Jethro and walked over to him, keeping Tali close to me. I recognized the man Jethro was talking to as the officer that had picked up Robert when he was drunk. I saw behind him in the holding cells Eli and Robert, each in different cells. They looked like they could kill each other, and like they had truly tried.

"We had to put them in separate holding cells. They were about to kill each other sir." Officer Kellen said. Jethro nodded, glaring at the two men in question.

"What were they fighting about?" I asked, and Jethro gave me a look. I gave him one back, and Officer Kellen waited for us to finish.

"Well, Mr. DiNozzo was yelling at Mr. David about his kid, and then David yelled about how his kid was a pig." He said, completely mispronouncing Ziva's last name. We didn't bother to correct him though.

"They were fighting about Tony and Ziva." Tali whispered, glaring at her father. I could see the daggers being shot across the room at him.

"How did they even know who the other was?" I asked anyone in particular. Officer Kellen's partner answered.

"Well, apparently they started to talk and they figured out who the other was. They started arguing and then it turned violent. A couple people pulled them apart, and one girl called 911. When we got there, they were yelling at each other, but some people were holding them back. We decided that it would be better to bring them here in separate cars." She said nonchalantly. She moved around Kellen, handing something to Jethro. He looked at it, and cursed under his breath. He shoved the paper back at the woman, and she looked him. I could see she was a little scared.

"We are going to keep them in here. They both filed charges, and because Eli is not a citizen he will be sent back to Israel. I do, however, have some questions for you sir." Kellen said, and Jethro nodded. They moved away, off into a hallway, and I sat down at the one desk. Tali sat down on the desk, her eyes moving over to her father every now and then. Kellen's partner looked over at us, getting up from her desk to stand next to where I sat.

"Is there an underlying reason they are fighting, not just because their kids are dating. They seem angry about something that is very small." She said, looking at Tali. Tali kept her eyes on the floor, and her voice was even when she spoke.

"He's such a hypocrite." She whispered, looking at her father again. I saw the hatred flash, and wondered what she was thinking. The officer looked at her, then at me.

"I'm missing something." It was a statement not a question. I answered it anyway.

"Mr. DiNozzo's son, Tony, is dating Mr. David daughter, Ziva, and Mr. David is angry because Tony is not Jewish."

The officer smiled at this, and I tilted my head. She sat down on the edge of the desk.

"My sister is dating a Jewish man right now. His family is not so accepting of her. But, they are working past it right now." She said, playing with her bun at the back of her head. I nodded, looking at the two men. Their glares could kill each other. Tali sighed, and moved over to her dad's cell. I heard her start to talk in Hebrew, her voice low and calm. I was surprised at how much self-control she had. But then I remembered.

She was trained.

--

"Thank you guys, again." Robert DiNozzo said yet again that night. Not that anyone was saying anything back. Tali was in the front seat, seeing, as she didn't like the man much. I was driving, and Jethro had _offered_ to sit in the back. I didn't blame him though. He seemed the only person who could actually get close to Robert without Robert trying to get at them.

Robert got out of the car, heading up into Tony's house. It wasn't really Robert's house. He hadn't lived there long. When I parked the car in the driveway of my own home, I noticed that my car had returned meaning Ari was home. I saw Ziva's light on, and knew he was in her room.

"Can I call Ziva now?" Tali asked, moving inside ahead of me. Jethro playfully pushed me up the stairs, and I glared at him.

"Yes, tell them they can come home now. Even though they won't make it home in time for school." I said, slapping Jethro away from me.

"Okay." Tali said, eyeing us suggestively. I glared at her, and she smirked.

"Hey, Ziva."

--

_(Ziva's POV)_

Tony was happy. Well, more than happy. I think he was close to bouncing off the halls… walls of the plane. He was bouncing up and down in his seat, his hands on his armrests. He looked at me, a huge smile on his face. The flight attendant came back, telling him to please calm down, and he smiled at her. I saw the shocked look on her face as she walked away, and I furrowed my brow.

"_What_ did you do to her?" I asked, and he smiled at me. He then proceeded to growl at me playfully. I giggled, covering my mouth as I laughed at him. Sometimes, he could be so funny.

"Timmy, what are you doing?"

"Abby, leave it."

"Timmy..."

I turned around to see McGee and Abby fighting over the pillow, Abby's hands on Tim's head as she tried to pry it from behind his head. Abby grinned at me, and then tried to grab the pillow again.

"Timmy! I want the pillow."

"Abs, here take mine." Tony said, chucking his over his seat. It landed on Abby's head, and she smiled. She pulled her belt out as far as it went, and kissed his cheek. He sat back in his seat, pulling his legs up to get more comfortable. The seat between us was empty, so we had decided to leave it that way. So that we could get more comfortable on this long flight. Abby looked up in between the seats, her face determined.

"How come you guys get more room than us?" She asked, obviously referring to the old guy sitting next to McGee.

"Because, we got very lucky."

"Ziva has ninja powers Abby."

I glared at Tony.

"Are you suggesting I incapacitated someone?" I asked, and Tony grinned.

"If the shoe fits." He said and I stared him down.

"I'll just go with we got lucky, Tony." I spat back, looking out the window. The plane hadn't taken off yet, and we were waiting on the tarmac to leave. The captain came over the speakers again, and I looked over at Tony. He had this funny look on his face.

"How come you get the window seat?" He asked, and I pulled out my ticket.

"You gave me the seat."

"Did not."

"Did too. Look, it's on my ticket."

"Damn."

Abby laughed from behind us, and I looked at her. She waved, elbowing McGee in the side. He groaned, and she looked at him.

"I didn't hit you hard Timmy."

"No, but you hit me where I fell yesterday."

Tony turned around.

"You fell? Where?" He asked, looking at McGee. McGee looked up at Tony.

"We were waiting in line to go on this ride, and I tripped on this broken piece of cement. I fell on the railing."

"Ah, that's nothing." Tony said. "When I was a kid-"

I put my finger over his mouth, giving him a look. He got my message and nodded.

"Nefer mind." He said, his words muffled from behind my finger. I smiled at him, and Abby coughed.

"Well, I'm sorry McGee." She said, patting his cheek. I heard McGee huff, and then Abby laugh.

"Told you." Tony coughed, and I slapped his stomach. He groaned.

"Ouch. That hurt."

"Well, you need to keep your snap shut."

"Trap. Trap shut."

"Whatever. Leave them alone."

"I will when you admit it." He pushed, and I glared at him. He smiled, and then the captain came back over the cabin.

"Ladies and gentleman, we will now be taking off. Please put your seats in the upright position and fasten your seatbelts." He said, and Tony rubbed his hands together. He seemed excited. This was my least favorite part of the plane ride.

"Ready for takeoff, Zee-vah?" He said, drawing out my name. I smiled at him.

"Nope. But I'm okay." I said, and Tony reached over to take my hand. He squeezed it as the plane took off, and we started to incline. When we finally were allowed to take off our seatbelts and recline our seats again, I moved so my feet were lying on the seat in between Tony and me. I kicked off my shoes, knowing that feet expanded on planes. Tony gently messaged my feet through my socks, and I smiled at him. I was feeling tired, but I knew I couldn't sleep on a plane. I never had, never could. It wasn't going to be a long flight, so it wasn't going to be a problem. I looked out the window, and smiled. It was night, and the lights of the city were bright and brilliant. I turned to Tony, and saw he was watching me. I undid my belt, and moved into the center seat. I rested my head in his lap, and he gently pushed back my hair.

"Comfortable?"

"Never been better."

"Really? Because earlier you seemed very comfortable." He said, and I shrugged.

"Well, you were warm." I said, feeling a slight blush on my cheeks. Tony smiled. I turned so I was looking up at him, my legs bent at the knees. I shut my eyes, feeling comfortable enough to fall asleep.

"What do you think happened?" He asked suddenly.

"Tali told me. Well, not all of it. I could hear she was holding back from the tone of voice she used. But, I think our fathers had something to do with it."

"Great, parents."

"I don't think it was too bad…."

I trailed off, and Tony smirked at me.

"Never mind." I mumbled, and Tony gently pushed my hair back behind my ears.

"Smooth move, ex lax." He said, and I stared up at him.

"What?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"Never mind." He grumbled. I shook my head, shutting my eyes again. Tony shut off the light above us, and I let myself slowly start to drift off. I reached into my pocket, pulling out my iTouch. I needed to listen to something, and watching a bad movie didn't seem like a good idea. I turned it on, looking through the songs. I finally found a song, and settled in for the plane ride.

_If you, if you could return, don't let it burn, don't let it fade._

_I'm sure I'm not being rude, but it's just your attitude,  
It's tearing me apart, It's ruining everything._

_I swore, I swore I would be true, and honey, so did you.  
So why were you holding her hand? Is that the way we stand?  
Were you lying all the time? Was it just a game to you?_

I moved my butt, settling into the seat even more. I opened my eyes as two fingers touched my forehead, and I saw Tony smiling. He brought his fingers to his lips, and then to my forehead. I smiled, taking his hand and kissing it. He smiled, and I slowly feel to sleep.

_You know I'm such a fool for you.  
You got me wrapped around your finger, ah, ha, ha.  
Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to, do you have to,  
Do you have to let it linger?  
_

_**

* * *

**_

**First off, because I always have an authors note on here, my story "Seven Months" got nominated for a NCIS Fanfiction Award. I was pretty.... well flattered. If you haven't read it yet, read it. I'm still a little shocked about that.**

**Secondly, tomorrow is Tuesday, and there is no NCIS......**

**Reviews? Last chapter was a shame on reviews.**

**Thanks guys.**

**-Love, Izzy.**


	25. Chapter 25: December

****

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or anything affiliated with it.

Chapter Twenty Five: Holiday Season, Before Christmas

Dedication: Silent Falling Rain. Read her new one shot. It's just too cute. :)

* * *

After dropping Ari and Tali off at the airport on Tuesday afternoon, I decided to take Ziva to the movies. She looked a little saddened by the fact, but she tried not to show it. As we walked up to the ticket window, I grabbed her hand. She smiled up at me.

After the movie, she seemed lighter. Not that much better, but she was smiling. As we walked back to my car, she gently leaned into me. I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her close to me. We walked over to the 7/11, and she smiled. She broke free from my arm, twirling around in front of me. She opened the door, smirking at me as she walked in. I watched her walk in, smile at the clerk, and move to the drinks. I followed her inside, walking up behind her as she grabbed a green tea.

"Feeling better?" I asked, and she nodded. She turned to face me, and I saw that her eyes were twinkling. I smiled, grabbing her green tea.

"I'm quite alright." She whispered, grabbing her green tea back. As she walked away, she threw a smirk at me.

Yeah, she'd be fine.

--

_Two weeks, five days later_

Ziva sat in my lap, her head resting on my chest. Her quite breaths were the only indication she was asleep, as were her limp arms laying in her lap. I heard her cough and then shift to a more comfortable position. I smiled, and looked up.

Abby was snuggled into the couch, her head resting on the pillow next to her. A cup of hot chocolate was nestled in her lap above the blanket that Gibbs had laid on her. Jenny was sitting in front of the couch, her eyes resting on the box in front of her. There was a week until Christmas, and already the decorations were going up. Abby had hauled the fake tree down from the attic, a huge smile plastered on her face. She and Ziva had put it up, both of them laughing the whole time. It was Ziva's first, and probably only, Christmas. She didn't seem to mind that we were celebrating Christmas. She was actually excited. It showed in her laughter as Abby put one of the fake branches on her head.

"Jethro, why don't we ever get a real tree?" Jenny asked suddenly, and I looked up from my thoughts.

"Because, Jen. I hate needles." Gibbs said, walking back into the living room. He was dressed in a suit, heading off to a formal dinner with some of his friends. It was something of a tradition, and it always happened before Christmas. Jenny got up, smiling at Gibbs. She fixed his tie, and he grinned. I looked away, feeling like I was intruding on their somewhat private moment. The Christmas tree in the corner held my attention, and I frowned at the bare branches.

Abby refused to put up decorations without McGee present. Had since she met him. It was how things went.

"I'll be back late." Gibbs said, finally walking out of the living room. Ziva stirred as he walked out to the door, looking up at me.

"Can we put on the ornaments yet?" She asked, and Abby looked up.

"No. Timothy isn't here."

"Yes I am." McGee said as he walked in, and Abby jumped up. She put her cup of coco down, and ran to give McGee a hug. Ziva stretched out, her arms going above her head. I smiled at her, gently pushing her off my lap. She glared at me, but then moved to stand in the middle of the living room. I stood up, and Abby smiled.

"Ornaments!" She said, moving up the stairs. She came back down with a huge box, struggling with it as she stepped back into the living room. I grabbed the box before she fell, and she smiled at me. I put the box down on the ground, and Ziva sat down in front of it.

"This is a big box." She observed, and I shrugged.

"There is a lot of room on the tree."

"But you're only going to see the front." She said, and I reached over and turned on the tree. It started to turn, and Ziva laughed.

"Oh, right." She said. Abby opened up the box, and the ornaments shined in the light. I picked up one that Abby had made in kindergarten, almost identical to my own, and Abby grinned.

"I remember those." She said, reaching in and grabbing the more fragile ones. Ziva picked up a glass orb, and smiled.

"These are so pretty." She said, twirling it around. McGee sat down next to her, reaching in and grabbing another handmade decoration.

"There are a lot of memories in here." He said, and I nodded.

"Well, let's put up some decorations!" I said, and Jenny smiled. She grabbed the stockings, moving over to the mock fireplace to hang them.

"I call putting on the tinsel!" Abby said, getting up. She grabbed the bag, but I stopped her.

"Wait until after we put on the decorations."

She pouted, but listened. We each grabbed an ornament and walked over to the tree, Jenny turning off the motor so we could start decorating. Ziva held her glass orb in front of her, and then she smiled. She moved forward and put the orb on the branch. I smirked at her.

"Are you going to do that for every single orb?"

"If I say yes, are you going to mock me about it?"

"Probably."

She laughed at me, and shook her head. We walked back over to the box.

"Timmy, where are the lights?" Abby asked, and McGee shrugged.

"I'm not sure Abs."

Ziva looked at the tree again, her eyes going over the branches. I shook my head, hanging my ornament on the tree. I watched as Ziva placed her ornament on the tree carefully, smiling. I shook my head again.

"Mom, can you turn on some music?" Abby asked, and Jenny moved over to the stereo. She turned on the music, and Ziva did a little jig. Abby and I laughed.

"That was cute Ziva." Abby said, grabbing another decoration. She moved over to the wall, hanging up the snowflake. She paused, then turned around. Her eyes were locked on Ziva.

"Ziva, come with me." She said, pulling Ziva up the stairs. I watched, and then turned to McGee.

"McKnowitall, what are they doing?" I asked, dragging the decoration box over closer to the tree. McGee grabbed some more glass bulbs, putting them on the tree.

"I don't know Tony."

I shook my head, hearing footsteps up stairs.

"I love Christmas music." Jenny said, walking over to us. She pulled the large star out of the box, handling it carefully. It was wrapped in brown packing paper, the crystals just barely visible in the seams.

"I'm saving this for Jethro." She said, and I smiled. He always put the star on top of the tree.

"That star is pretty." McGee said, and I rolled my eyes.

"That star is pretty." I mocked, and McGee glared at me.

"Thank you Tim."

"Thank you Tim." I mocked, and Jenny gently slapped my head. I was about to protest when Abby and Ziva came back downstairs, each holding Santa hats. Ziva walked over to me, placing one on my head. She smiled at me, pulling it down to right above my ears. I smiled, grabbing the other one out of her hands and putting it on her head.

"It's itchy." McGee said. I rolled my eyes, looking at him as I held the Santa hat on Ziva's head.

"It's itchy." I said in a whiny voice. He glared at me, and then Jenny laughed.

"Guys, stop it." She said. I smiled, patting Ziva's head.

"There you go." I said, and she smiled. Abby pulled on her black hat, and smiled at all of us.

"Now we all have spirit." She exclaimed.

We all started putting up ornaments again, Abby humming along with the lyrics. Ziva kept up her strategic placing, and I shook my head.

"Perfectionist." I whispered in her ear. She smirked at me, grabbing some tinsel. We were done with the ornaments, and Abby was now throwing tinsel everywhere. Ziva threw the tinsel up in the air and onto the tree. I smiled as it landed all over the tree, and some on her shoulders and hat.

"Not really." Abby said, smiling at Ziva. Ziva grabbed some more, and her and Abby went on a tinsel-throwing spree. I moved out of Abby's way as she walked past me, throwing tinsel up in the air. Some of it landed on me, and I brushed it away.

"Abs, watch out." I said, moving out of her way. Jenny laughed at us, walking back in from the kitchen with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Abby, you are too cute." Abby smiled at Jenny.

Ziva looked at the tree, and then she turned it back on. The lights lit up, and it started to rotate. She smiled, and I saw her eyes going over the tree. I slipped my arm around her waist, pulling her gently away from it. We sat down on the ground next to McGee and Abby, and Jenny smiled at us.

"This is going to be a wonderful Christmas." She said, and I smiled.

We watched some Christmas movie reruns, and I had to explain half of the stuff to Ziva. She was a good sport, laughing at the right parts, and patting Abby on the back at the sad parts. When the happy ending came, Ziva smiled and snuggled into my embrace.

"Are all Christmas movies like that?" She asked, and I shrugged.

"Depends on who wrote it." I said. She nodded, and Abby leaned into Ziva. I groaned at the added weight and fell back on the ground. I let go of Ziva and she rolled out across the ground. Abby pounced on her, tickling her sides. They started to wrestle, tickling each other as they went. Squealing, mostly from Abby, and laughs filled the air.

It felt like the holiday season.

--

It had started to snow by the time Gibbs came home. He smiled at the mess in the living room; tinsel strewn about, two Santa hats laying on the floor, and bubble wrap laid around. Jenny handed him the star, and the smile spread wider on his face. He walked up the stairs to get changed, and Ziva looked outside. I saw her smile in the reflection of the glass doors. She looked content, happy, and peaceful. She smiled at me in her reflection, turning around to look at me. The overhead lights were off in the house, only the Christmas tree and some candles. In the soft lighting, she looked like a little kid. It made me smile even wider.

"DiNozzo, you wanna move out of my way?" Gibbs barked at me, and I jumped up on the couch. Ziva laughed at me, but watched Gibbs as he walked over to the tree. He reached up and slipped the star on the top, and then stood back for a second to make sure it didn't fall. It tilted a little bit, but then sat there on top of the tree, twinkling in the light. Jenny smiled, scooting over on the couch as Gibbs sat down next to her. Abby was standing in the middle of the room, a huge smile on her face. She looked from me, to Ziva, to McGee, and then to her parents. Her smile got wider as she said what she was feeling.

"This is going to be the best Christmas ever."

--

"I need to go shopping." Abby said, and I gaped at her.

"Christmas is in two days, and you still have to go shopping?" I asked and she nodded. I shook my head, and she laughed.

"I have to get stuff to make food for Christmas dinner. Mom's finally letting me cook it." She said.

"Have fun with that. It's going to be a mess at the grocery store too." I said, looking down at my laptop. I was sitting in Gibbs' kitchen, upgrading iTunes. Since my mother had left on a trip to go see the family, a group of people I could not stand to be around, I was spending Christmas with my second family.

Again.

But in all honesty, I didn't mind.

"What is that?" Gibbs asked, leaning over my shoulder to stare at the computer screen. I moved a little out of his way, getting ready for a head slap.

"It's iTunes."

"What?" He asked, squinting at the computer.

"iTunes. It's what lets you put songs on you iPod." I explained, and Gibbs shook his head.

"What's an iPod?" He asked, and I laughed. I pulled my shoulders up to my ears, getting ready to be slapped. Nevertheless, when I turned around, he was gone. I sighed, turning back to my laptop. McGee was in the living room, giving Ziva a somewhat informal lecture on Christmas, and Jenny and Abby had gone to the store. I could only guess that Gibbs was in the garage, working on his boat.

"Why do they call him Santa?" I heard Ziva ask, and I turned around in my stool. Ziva was sitting on the floor, right next to McGee.

"Well, he's actually called Saint Nicholas. But everyone calls him Santa Clause." McGee explained. Ziva nodded, looking at McGee's laptop. They were reading something online, and I smiled as Ziva scrunched her nose.

"Even I didn't know this stuff." McGee said. I chuckled softly, turning back to my laptop as it dinged at me. I looked at the screen, but it was still downloading. I looked over at the coffee maker, and smiled as Gibbs walked in. He poured two cups, and then walked back out. I looked out in to the garage, and Fornell smiled at me.

"DiNutso." He said, and I nodded. I turned back to my computer, watching as it worked to upgrade.

"Ah, that's interesting." McGee said, and I heard Ziva laugh. I turned around to see Ziva holding her stomach, one hand over her mouth. McGee was staring at the computer, his eyes wide. I got up, walking into the living room.

"What's interesting McGee?" I asked, and Ziva started to laugh harder. McGee swallowed, and blushed.

"Well, it's just some random, silly fact." He mumbled, and I sat down in front of Ziva and the laptop. McGee blushed harder, moving his fingers over the mouse pad.

"What is McGee?" I asked, and he blushed even harder. Ziva took in a huge breath, and answered.

"McGee found some strange facts. One said that nearly three percent of the ice in Antarctic glaciers is penguin urine. I find it quite funny." She said, still giggling at it. McGee kept blushing, and I shook my head.

"Are you blushing because she is laughing?" I asked him. Ziva shook her head.

"No, because he farted." She said, laughing again. McGee blushed, and I patted his head.

"Aw, little McGoo. It's just gas." I cooed, and McGee glared at me. I sniffed in, and covered my nose with my hand.

"Oh, McGee! That stinks!" I said, scooting away from him. Ziva started to laugh even harder, rolling onto her side as she held her stomach. Gibbs walked in, looking at us.

"What's so funny?" He asked, Fornell walking in behind him.

"McGoo farted." I said, and Gibbs looked at Ziva.

"Is she okay?" He asked, and Ziva nodded.

"Yes, I am fine." She said between laughs. She sat back up, pulling her hair around her neck. She took in some deep breaths, and then smiled at Gibbs. He shook his head, walking back out with Fornell following. I shook my head as my auto teacher left the house, and looked back at Ziva. She was still laughing under her breath. McGee glared at her, but moved his laptop into his lap. He slipped on his headphones, and started typing again. Ziva crawled over to me, sitting next to me.

"Where is Abby?" She asked.

"Store, with Jenny. Abby is cooking Christmas dinner." I said, and Ziva nodded. McGee got up, and he disappeared out the door.

"I guess he's leaving." Ziva said, and I sighed.

"If he farted again, I think I'd die." I said, and Ziva glared at me.

"Be nice. It's not his fault." She said, and I shrugged.

"Yeah, but he could warn us." I said. Ziva shook her head, getting up and walking into the kitchen. I followed her, and walked up behind her sitting in front of my laptop. She was on iTunes, her iTouch plugged into the computer. I watched as she added songs to the playlist that synced to her iTouch.

"Finding new songs?" I asked, and she nodded.

"I keep finding good ones." She said, and I watched her. She moved some more old rock into her playlist, and I smiled.

"You like good old rock, huh?" She nodded.

"It's good music." She stated simply.

"Tony, please come help with the groceries." Jenny said as she walked in, carrying a bag and her purse. I walked down the front steps, smiling at Abby as she walked past me. Ziva came up next to me, grabbing three bags in one hand and a bottle of wine in another. I smirked at her.

"You forgot the turkey." I said, and she grabbed it. I watched as she walked up the walk, and into the house. Gibbs smirked at me, and I grabbed the cases of soda. When I walked into the kitchen, Ziva was sitting back at my laptop, her headphones in. Abby and Jenny were putting away the food, each moving around each other while talking.

"That's a lot of food." I said, and Abby smiled at me.

"Well, duh. It's not just three of us this year like it was last year. And even when you are here, we have extra food. I convinced Kate's mom and dad to let her come to Christmas Dinner. I told them they could have a romantic evening to themselves. Worked too. McGee's parents are more reluctant. He'll be over later in the evening with his gifts for all of us." Abby said, moving around me to place her hands on top of Ziva's head. Ziva smiled.

"And we got a turkey so Ziva could have meat." Abby said. Ziva pulled off her headphone.

"What?" She asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"She said she's going to mash you up into a meat pie for dinner." I said, and she laughed.

"I'd like to see her try. You may be able to kill me and not leave a trace, but I can stop you before you even touch me." Ziva said to Abby. Jenny smiled at them both.

"You guys would make a great team." She said, and Abby's face lit up. Jenny stopped, and she looked scared.

"We would make an excellent team. We can even have Tony be our little errand boy." Ziva said, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Errand boy." I mumbled, but Abby kept going.

"We'd be the next Zodiac." She said, and Ziva looked up.

"The next what?" She asked.

"Zodiac. Great thriller movie. Jake Gyllenhaal plays this San Francisco cartoonist who tries to figure out the Zodiac killers cryptic messages. Zodiac was a man who terrorized Northern California in the late 60's. He first killed two high school students in 68, and then another couple in 69; soon after the letters arrived. The guy must have been brilliant, because his identity is still not known." I said. Jenny and Abby gaped at me, while Ziva smirked. I looked between Jenny and Abby.

"What?" I asked. Jenny shook her head.

"I sometimes forget you are so knowledgeable." She simply stated, turning back to the groceries. Abby tilted her head at me.

"How do you know all of that?" She asked. I shrugged.

"History is interesting, and the Zodiac is cool." I said.

"He is not. He killed people." Abby retorted.

"Yeah, but the fact that he was smart enough to write ciphers that no one could understand is pretty cool. Admit it." I said. Abby shrugged.

"I bet I could be better."

Jenny turned around, looking at her daughter.

"You are _not_ going to kill anyone Abs. What you are going to do is help me with the preparations." She said, and Abby saluted her.

"Yes ma'am. Time to cook!" She said, bouncing over to the counter. I moved to stand behind Ziva, and saw she was on Google.

"What do you have to look up on Google?" I asked. She shrugged.

"You've got me interested in the Zodiac." She said, and I smirked.

"The man, not the movie Tony."

* * *

**I happen to be watching Shalom right now. Poor wittle Ziver. :)**

Anywho, I'm sorry it took me three days to update. I got writers block. And I started a new little one shot thing. I've never liked doing two stories at once, but I think I can do this. The other one is just Tiva fluff that I need out of my system.

Anywho, this story is reaching it's halway mark about. The new years is it's halfway mark. I'm so excited. I have BIG things planned.

Reviews? Thanks.


	26. Chapter 26: December 25th

**So, I have a feeling you guys are going to hate/love this chaper.**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The necklace and ring are from Tiffany & Co. Go on the website, and go to the necklaces to see the necklace and rings, then sub-catageory gems to find the ring. :)

Chapter Twenty Six: Christmas Day.

* * *

I opened my eyes, seeing darkness surrounding me. A flash of light went through my room, and I heard the rain battering the house. I heard the wind whirring, and I reached up and pulled the window all the way down. It didn't move, but the whirring noise stopped. I rolled back over; smiling at Tony's sleeping face next to me. I heard a clap of thunder, and I stiffened. I scooted over closer to Tony as another clap sounded. In his sleep, Tony wrapped his arms around me, snuggling his nose into my neck. I smiled at it, but shivered as thunder sounded again. Tony's arms tightened and I heard him take in a deep breath.

"You okay Ziva?" He said sleepily. I smiled, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

"I don't like thunder." I said, and Tony nodded. He moved his head from my neck, and looked me in the eyes.

"Remind you of something?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Bomb blasts." I whispered, and he pulled me to his chest. We laid there in silence, and Tony's breathing quieted again.

I looked over at the clock, seeing that it was three AM. It was Christmas morning.

"When am I going to get my present?" Tony mumbled, and I laughed.

"Well, it is Christmas morning." I said, and he nodded. I could feel his chest moving with his breaths.

"I hope you didn't spend more money on my present than I did yours." He said, and I looked up at him. His eyes were shut, and his mouth was twisted up in a smile.

"Should I take that the wrong way, or the right?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"It all depends." He said.

"Well, I spent nothing on your present. So I highly doubt you'll feel out done." I whispered, and he opened his eyes.

"Did you steal it?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"You can steal these, but it's better to give them." I said, and he quirked an eyebrow.

"What are you saying, Ziva David?" He asked, and I laughed.

"What are you thinking, Anthony DiNozzo?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"It all depends." He said again, and I laughed quietly.

"Are you going to keep saying that?" I asked, and he shrugged. Before he could say it again, I put my finger on his lips.

"Shh." I said, shutting my eyes and curling back into his chest.

"So, what am I getting for Christmas?" He asked, and I sighed.

"You'll see. I'm thinking." I said, and he sighed. I tilted my head up, giving him a small kiss.

"Patience is not one of your virtues." I said, and he shrugged.

"I'm just curious." He whispered. I smiled, leaning my forehead against his.

"As always." I said.

Lightening lit up the room again, and then thunder followed. This time, I didn't flinch. I felt very protected in Tony's arms.

"Zzzziiiivvvaaa?" Tony said, drawing my name out longer than needed. I giggled quietly.

"What?" He asked.

"That reminds me of Wall-E." I said, and he smiled.

"You've seen Wall-E?" He asked, and I nodded. "When?"

"At Kate's house. We watched it one night." I said.

"Speaking of Kate, how is she doing?" He asked, and I looked at him. His eyes were still shut, and his mouth was a straight line.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, with Ari back in Israel." He clarified. I smiled.

"She's alright." I said, debating whether that was true or not.

"Are they still talking? They seemed close." He said, his voice sounding sheepish.

"Yes, they are still talking. Since my father wants us to have an education, Ari is still in school. Nevertheless, at the same time, he is doing his training. Since Ari has enough credits to graduate right now, he will probably be leaving school at the end of this year. He will finish his training, and then probably start working for the family." At that, he laughed. I smiled.

"They've been e-mailing back and forth. When Ari does go out, they will have to stop for a while. But, he'll e-mail her again once he's done." I explained. Tony nodded.

"So, they are going to make it work?"

"They are going to try. I hope it does though. Long distance relationships don't work usually." I leaned in a kissed him again.

"So I've heard." He said.

"Saw it in a movie?"

"Yup." He said, and I laughed.

"Well, this is real life. And I'm going to feel awful if it doesn't work for them." I said, and Tony tightened his arms around my waist.

"Why wouldn't it work?"

I lightly slapped his back.

"Long distance relationships fail because you aren't together, and you can't keep track of each other. You spend all day thinking about the other, and they spend all day thinking about you. You start to worry when they do not call or e-mail you, and it's all unneeded worry too. They probably are just super busy with school or work. Then when they finally do call or e-mail you, you get into a fight and accuse them of stuff they did not do. Then it all ends because you guys can't stop fighting. And you're fighting because you care."

Tony opened his eyes, and a sad smile found its way onto his face

"You've thought a lot about this, huh?" He asked. I nodded, hiding my face in his neck. He rubbed my back.

"They'll be fine." He said, and I somehow knew there was an underlying message there.

"They will be. I know it." I said, and he nodded.

I heard my clock beep; telling me it was 30 minutes past the hour. I looked at it, seeing it was 3:30. Tony looked at me, and a smile spread on his face. He leaned down a little and kissed me. I nestled my head back in his neck, and felt a tiny blush creep on my face.

I wasn't used to this. Well, I was used to being this close to him, and in a bed nonetheless. It was the kissing that was different. We did not kiss often. He kissed my forehead, cheek, temple, and even nose, but it was a rare thing for him to kiss me on the lips. It was ironic, seeing as it was a kiss that lead to him asking me out. A kiss on a bed, with roaming hands; although, the hands stayed… PG as Tony would say. I smiled to myself at that thought. Nonetheless, our kisses were far and few in apart. Or….. whatever.

So far, we had kissed three times in thirty minutes. That was more kisses than the past month. I felt all bubbly inside at the thought. We did not have to kiss. It wasn't something we _had_ to do, or even wanted to do. It was not that we didn't want to, because if he really did, Tony would probably kiss me all the time; it was that we just never seemed to want to. It wasn't our way of showing affection. We would hold hands, sit in each other's laps, push each other as we walked, and throw a light punch every now and then. That was the definition of affection for us.

That and how we were lying now. Tony's arm wrapped around my body, his nose buried in my hair right next to my ear. I had my face in his shirt, breathing in his unique sent. At least three times a week we slept in the same bed. Gibbs would give me a bemused and suggestive look when I slipped out the back door to go to Tony's. And since his mother was never ever home, we would sit in the living room and watch countless movies. He could _not_ believe the number of movies I hadn't seen.

"Ziva?" Tony asked, interrupting my thoughts. I moved my head to look at him

"Yes?"

"When am I going to get my present?" He asked again, and I smirked. I gently pushed him back onto the bed, straddling his waist. He grinned at me, putting his hands on my hips.

"Right now." I said. He quirked an eyebrow and I put my lips right above his. I heard him take in a breath expectantly, and smirked.

"Is Anthony DiNozzo nervous?" I joked, and he smirked at me.

"DiNozzo's don't get nervous." He said, and I laughed lightly. I could see the impatience in his eyes, and I found my stomach flipping.

When I bent my head down to kiss him, his arms wrapped around my waist fully, pulling me close to him. He moved his one hand up to wrap into my hair, securing my head in place. I moved my hands into his hair, running my hands though the soft locks. A small moan escaped his throat, sending chills through my body. In my entire life, I had kissed three boys.

None of them could kiss like this.

I ran my hands down his face, to his neck, and down his shoulders. His hand that was on my waist moved to my back, and he gently flipped me over. The kiss broke, and we both were breathing heavily. I kept my eyes shut, and kissed him again. This time, our hands didn't roam. His stayed in my hair, pulling at the curls. I kept mine on his neck. I could feel his heart race pulsing, similar to my own. He broke off, and moved his lips to my neck. He started to suck at the soft skin, and I moaned a little.

"Tony, this is your present." I whispered, and he chuckled.

"I'm making the best of it." He said, and I couldn't help but giggle. He was still working on that one spot, and I didn't stop to think that I might get a hickey there. When he finished, he looked down at me, the most amazing smile on his face. I smiled at it, and gently ran my fingers through his hair.

"Merry Christmas." I whispered, pulling his head down to kiss him again. He smiled, moving his hand down to my waist.

"My present can't top this." He said, and I shrugged.

"I don't celebrate Christmas anyway." I joked. Tony laughed, lying down next to me again. I slowly drifted off to sleep, snuggling into Tony's embrace again.

--

"Ziva! Wake up, wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!"

I opened my eyes in a flash, seeing Abby staring down at me. She was hovering above me, her black Santa hat on. She grabbed my hand, pulling me up and out of the bed. I stumbled, but then stopped moving. Abby looked back at me.

"Let's GO! We have presents to open!" She said, and I smiled.

"I know, but I can't honestly go down there in Tony's shirt and underpants." I said, and Abby laughed.

"Get dressed." She said before running back down the stairs.

"She's getting dressed." I heard her say, and then I heard Gibbs scoff.

"Right."

I slipped my favorite jeans on, running my comb through my hair. I pulled it up in a ponytail and made my way down the stairs. I heard Abby moving before she walked up to grab me, pulling me rather forcefully into the living room. She sat me down on the ground next to Tony, and she smiled.

"Yes. Now can we open presents?" She asked Jenny, and she smiled.

"Wait for dad." She said. I looked around, seeing that Gibbs had left. Abby hmphed, looking impatiently at the garage door. I looked at the presents under the tree, and smiled at the beautiful wrapping paper. There were a couple small boxes, and I saw that they were from Gibbs to Jenny, Abby, and I. Abby squealed and I saw that Gibbs had walked back inside. I stifled a laugh as I saw he was wearing a Santa hat. He glared at me, but smiled all the same. He had a black bag in his hand, and he put it down next to the tree. He looked at Jenny, who smiled.

"You always pass them out." She said, smirking at him. He shook his head, looking at Tony.

"Tony can do it." He said, and Tony looked up. I chuckled at his face. He looked actually scared.

"M-me?" He stuttered, and I squeezed his hand. He looked at me.

"Yes, you." I said, pushing him up off the floor. He glared at me before walking over to the tree, grabbing a huge box off the ground. He smiled at the name.

"Abby, I bestow the first present to the." He said in a mock English accent. I giggled under my breath, and Gibbs rolled his eyes. Jenny gently elbowed him, and he looked at her. She gave him a look, and he sighed.

Abby gently pulled the paper off the huge box, and then she ripped open the box. Inside the box was a smaller box, and inside that one was yet another smaller box. It went like that until she got to a small box, which had a gift card to one of her favorite shows. She looked up at Tony, who smiled sheepishly. He handed Jenny and Gibbs two presents, and then grabbed one for me. He handed it to me, and didn't wait for me to open to start piling the presents in neat little piles next to their owners.

When he finished, he walked over to where I sat. There were to piles of presents in front of us; one mine and the other his. I opened the presents, smiling as I found numerous things inside of them. One present from Abby had a choker in it, and I grimaced as she smirked over at me.

"Abby, I am _not_ wearing this." I said, and Gibbs broke out laughing. I looked up to see him smirking at me.

"Nice one Abs." He said, and Abby beamed.

"Thanks dad." She said before tearing into yet another present. I opened the small box from Gibbs, smiling at the watch that was inside. It was a silver color, and the hands on the clock were a dark chocolate.

"Thank you Gibbs." I said, slipping the watch on. It hung a little loose, but it looked good. Gibbs smiled, sipping on his coffee.

I looked down at the pile of gifts I had received, smiling at the gift cards and an elegant dress that Jenny had bought me. I glared at the chocker, and Abby laughed at me. I looked back at my pile, seeing that there were two presents left. I picked up the bigger box, smiling at Tony's name on the sticker. I took off the paper, revealing a velvet box. I could feel eyes on me, but I didn't look up. I opened up the box, and felt my breath leave me as I looked at the necklace.

The chain was silver and small linked, but the pendant was what was making my heart stop. A beautiful silver heart reminded me of a chocolate box. In scripted on the front were two words in French.

_Je t'aime. _

The two words were in a beautiful calligraphy, and they sat there in the middle of the heart. I opened up the locket, seeing that inside was a little fortune from a fortune cookie.

_The greatest thing to give in life is a little love._

I smiled wide, folding the fortune back up and closing the locket again. I undid my Star of David necklace, putting it in the velvet box. I undid the clasp of the heart necklace, and looked at Tony.

"Put this on me please?" I asked, and he nodded. He moved behind me, grabbing the ends of the necklace carefully. I pulled my ponytail out of the way, and I felt the heat off his hands on my neck. When I felt the clasp land on my neck, I put my hand on the pendant. I smiled, and Tony moved back next to me.

"I still think you out did me." He said quietly, and I laughed. Abby looked at us.

"What did you give him, Ziva?" Abby asked, and Tony and I laughed. She watched us, and then shook her head. She turned back to the CD in front of her. I looked at Tony, smiling.

"Thank you." I whispered. He pointed to the other box. I looked at it, seeing it was much smaller than the box the necklace came in. I picked it up, somehow already knowing that there was something just as special as the necklace in it. I pulled the wrapping paper off slowly, folding it in a little pile on the ground next to my feet.

I opened the box, and shut it as soon as I saw what was inside. Now I had the attention of Gibbs and Jenny. Abby was watching me, and I turned to Tony.

"Tony, that has to have cost a fortune." I said, and he shrugged.

"My dad was feeling… guilty." He said, and I shook my head.

"Tony." I said, and he leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"Merry Christmas." He whispered, reaching over and opening the box again. I looked at the ring, and I heard Abby take in a breath.

The band was platinum, and I saw Tiffany & Co. inscribed on the inside. The center stone was a round aquamarine gem, surrounded by diamonds in the shape of flowers. I found myself not believing it was in front of me. I picked it up, slipping it onto my right ring finger. That was when I heard Jenny's reaction to the ring. A very sharp intake of breath, and then she let it out slowly. Everyone was quiet, and I looked back up at Tony. He was leaning back against the couch, his eyes watching me.

I crawled over to him, laying my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and I snuggled my face into his shirt.

"Thank you." I whispered. He kissed my head, and laid his cheek on my head. I heard Gibbs cough, and I looked up at him. He was watching us, his eyes going over our arms. He smiled meekly at me.

"Are you guys happy with your gifts?" He asked, and Abby smiled. She started into one of her long-winded talks, and I smiled at her. Tony's hands moved up and down my arms, and I looked up at him.

"Tony, I love your gifts. But you didn't have to." I said, and he shrugged.

"When Abby and I went shopping, I saw them. I looked at them for a while, and then when we finished shopping I realized that I didn't have anything for you. I went back and bought them." He said, and I smiled. I bent up and kissed him lightly.

"Well, I think they are beautiful. Thank you." I whispered. I looked back at the ring, my mind doing too much working at the price.

"I don't even want to think about the amount of money you spent." I mumbled.

"It doesn't matter, because you still out did me." He said.

--

Kate came over at three with McGee, each of them wearing dress clothes. Kate wore a red dress, her heels kicked off as she walked inside.

"The only reason I wore those is because if I wore my other shoes, my feet would be soaked." She said as she walked in, giving me a hug. I smiled at her, and took her bag of presents into the living room. Tony got up off the couch were he sat with Jethro's head in his lap, and the dog looked at us. I patted his head, and he got up and made his way up the stairs. I heard Abby hug McGee, and then Jenny yell for Abby.

"Abby, come finish this food." Jenny yelled, and Abby bound back into kitchen. Gibbs walked into the living room holding plates and silverware. He handed me the plates and Kate the silverware, and then motioned for Tony to follow him. Kate and I moved into the dining room, and Kate looked at me.

"I like your necklace." She said, and I felt a blush on my neck. I was wearing the dress that Jenny had bought me, and I was amazed to find that it fit like a glove. I smiled at the memory of Tony correcting me when I said that idiom wrong. It was a deep purple, and it was a V-neck. It went down to my mid calf, and the fabric was extremely soft. Since I was wearing a V-neck, I kept my new necklace on. It completed the look.

"I like it too." I said, reaching up to touch it. I opened it up a little, and Kate walked over to me. She held the pendant in her hand, looking at the fortune. She read it, and smiled.

"Tony get you this?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Yes. And a ring." I said, and Kate raised her eyebrow.

"It's up in my room." I said. She nodded, closing the pendant. We walked out of the dining room, and found Abby in front of us.

"I need you guys to carry some stuff into the dining room." She said, grabbing our hands and leading us into the kitchen. She handed us some food, and we walked back into the dining room.

After dinner, we all moved into the living room. McGee and Kate had presents for everyone, and we all had presents for them. After exchanging gifts, we all laid out. Everyone was extremely full from the delicious dinner Abby had cooked. Abby was stretched out on the floor, her head on McGee's lap. Kate was lying next to me, her head on my thigh. My head was on Tony's shoulder, who was slowly dipping off. Gibbs and Jenny were sitting on the couch.

"Are you guys tired?" Gibbs asked, and Kate groaned.

"I can't believe you guys got me to come over here. That was the most food I've eaten in months." She said, and I nodded.

"Even Thanksgiving wasn't that filling." I said. Tony nodded in agreement, and I snuggled my head into his dress shirt. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, securing me to his side.

"You guys should go to bed." Jenny said. I looked at the clock.

"It's only 5." I said. She shrugged.

"You guys look tired." She said. I moved out of Tony's embrace, and stood up.

"Why don't we watch a movie?" I asked, and Tony looked up at me. He smiled.

"We should." He said, and Kate sat up, along with Abby and McGee.

It was decided, and Abby, Kate and I raced up the stairs to get changed. Kate pulled her pajamas out of her bag, and I looked at the shirt she put on. It didn't look like hers. I smirked at her, and she smirked back at me as I pulled on Tony's shirt. I slipped into a pair of soft pin stripe pants, and we walked back down the stairs. Out of a place unknown to me, Jenny had pulled some puffy pillows. They were lying scattered about on the floor, as were some blankets. I rolled onto them, and Kate rolled next to me.

"You guys look happy." Gibbs said, walking in. He was wearing sweats and a dark green shirt. For once, he looked laid back.

"And if we are?" I asked, and he shrugged. He looked at our shirts, and Kate blushed. I didn't though.

"Nice shirts." He said, walking into his study. I heard the wind outside, and then a lightning bolt lit up the sky. Not long after, a clap of thunder sounded. Kate's arm went around my waist, and she pulled me close. She knew I didn't like the sound of thunder. I smiled at her, and we looked up as Tony and McGee walked over to the pile of pillows. Tony rolled next to me, and McGee sat down in front of us.

"What movie are we watching?" McGee asked, and I looked at the movie in front of me.

"Miracle on 34th Street." I said, and Tony smiled.

"One of _the_ best Christmas movies ever." He said, moving to put the movie into the DVD player. Abby laid on top of Kate and me, and we pushed her off. She sat down next to McGee, and we all got comfortable.

Halfway through the movie, I heard the wind pick up. I had been watching the movie intently, and this was the first time I'd heard something from outside. Gibbs walked across the living room, and out then out into the garage. I watched, and then Tony caught my eye.

"You okay?" He asked, and I nodded. Although, I had an inkling feeling in my stomach.

We were getting to the end of the movie when I heard the creaking, and I got up. I moved to the garage, and found the door open. The wind was whooshing around me as I moved to the front of the garage. I heard the creaking again, and looked to the right. The Kinks huge tree was making the noise, and I then started to feel nervous.

"Ziva?" Tony asked, coming up behind me. "We need to get inside." He said, trying to pull me backwards. I didn't move, looking at the tree. I resisted Tony's pull on my waist, but finally gave in. I was walking up the garage steps when I heard the crack, and turned just in time to see it fall.

And Gibbs running to get out from underneath of it.

"Gibbs!" Tony and I yelled at the same time, but Tony held me back from running.

"Don't Ziva. Wait." He said, and I knew he was right. The tree was still settling, and the branches were whipping around. I watched the tree, looking for Gibbs. Jenny ran out, Kate, McGee and Abby behind her. They all looked at the tree, and Jenny's eyes started to fill with tears. I didn't move from where I stood, to shocked to do anything. Only one thing said got to me.

"Jethro." Jenny whispered, before running back inside and dialing 911.

* * *

**Dun... Dun... Dun...**

I got the idea from Hiatus.

Anywho, I'm getting UBER tired, seeing as it's 12:50 for me right now. SNL is winding down, so I guess I need to go to bed. :) I know I meant to write more, but I forgot.

Dedication: Penelope Louise. :)

Reviews make me go way faster at typing. :)

Oh, and school is OUT after this coming week!!! :)

I'll be able to update like a crazy ninja chick. :D :D :D

Reviews?

Thanks, Izzy.


	27. Chapter 27: December

**First off: I'm soooo sorry for not updating for a WHOLE week, espically after how I LEFT it. I'm SOO sorry. Honestly. I felt awful, but school just got in the damn way. I had finals alll week, and then on Thrusday I had the opening farmers market. My mom manages it.**

**So, I just wanted to say sorry. I'm working on this. :) I promise. And I want to say that this story is going to probably jump to spring break soon. Haha. Spring Break.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Chapter Twenty Seven: Freeze Frame.**

* * *

A firefighter ran across the driveway, jogging towards the piles of wood that sat off to the side. The ambulance was just pulling away, the lights turning on. It seemed to pull away in slow motion, and then another firefighter ran across the driveway. The tree had now been cut into huge chunks, and was being rolled down into a wood chipper. The wind was whirring around the house, causing random chips of wood to fly in all directions. I saw Jenny nod at something a firefighter said, and then duck her head down as she walked up the driveway. She looked at me, and pushed her way up the driveway to the garage. As she walked in, she shook her hair out, running her fingers through it. I could see it was soaked, clinging to her back. She walked up to me, and her mouth started movie. I couldn't hear what she was saying, and I blinked.

"Ziva?"

Suddenly, I could hear everything; the sound of the wood chipper, the yelling of the many emergency crews that were around the yard. I could hear the wind bashing the house, and the sound of it whirring as it blew through the trees. The firefighter's yells were louder than I thought they would be, and I could hear a hum of people talking behind police tape.

"Ziva, talk to me here."

I looked at Jenny, and saw her face. She looked scared, and a couple stray tears were falling down her face.

"Yes Jenny." I said, and she smiled sadly. She embraced me in a hug, pulling me tight into her arms. I felt awkward at first, but I slowly wrapped my arms around her too. She was soaking wet and I was suddenly very cold. But all the same, I felt a little relaxed in all of the worry.

"It's going to be alright. Go to Tony's, and keep Abby sane." She said, smiling up at Tony. Tony nodded at her, taking my hand. He pulled me gently into the house, my feet dragging across the ground. Tony wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me up so he was carrying me into the house. When Abby saw me, she jumped up and wrapped me in a hug. I could feel the tears on her chin hit my shoulder, soaking it even more.

"Oh Ziva. I'm so sorry you had to see that." She said, pulling me over to the couch. I sat down, wrapping my arms around her torso. Her tears were still falling, and I could feel her quiet sobs wracking her body. I gently rubbed her back, and she snuggled into me.

"I'm sorry Abby." I said quietly. She started to shake again, and I rubbed her back some more. She was clinging to me tightly, her fingers holding onto my back. I looked at Kate, who was gently rubbing Abby's back as well.

"It's going to be okay Abby." Kate said, and Abby shook her head.

"That tree fell on him. Fell, as in crushed him and might kill him."

"He isn't dead Abby." I whispered, and she sucked in a mangled breath.

"He could be."

"Optimism Abby. Optimism." Tony said, sitting down next to me. He looked at Abby, his face soft. He reached forward and twirled her pigtail gently.

"I know Tony. I know." She whispered, and Tony smiled. He moved so he was crouching down next to her, and kissed her cheek. She sniffed rather loudly, then moved her face even farther into my shoulder. I looked at Tony, and he smiled.

"Abby, we are going to my house." He whispered to her. Kate got up, walking over and grabbing her shoes. She slipped them on, scooting across the ground so she was right next to Tony. She whispered something in his ear, and he nodded. She got up, pulling on her jacket and moving out the porch door. I saw her duck her head as she walked out of the porch, shutting the glass doors behind her. McGee was still sitting on the ground, his eyes trained on Abby. I saw the concern, and decided to act on it.

"McGee, can you help Abby?" I asked, and he shut his mouth once. I watched as he nodded, moving over to where I sat with Abby. Tony got up, walking into the entryway.

"Abby?" McGee asked, and Abby looked at him. She moved out of my arms and into McGee's embrace and I took that opportunity to get up and follow Tony. As I walked into the entryway, we bumped into each other. I caught myself like a pro, and Tony grinned at me. He handed me a jacket, and I smiled as I realized it was his. I slipped it over my head, taking the rubber boots he handed me. I heard the wind pound the house.

"I'm surprised the power is still on." I whispered, and Tony nodded. He moved around me, grabbing my hand as he went, and pulled me back into the living room. McGee had Abby in his lap now, and she was quietly sobbing into his shoulder. He looked up at us, and I saw Tony softly smile.

"Let's get her to my house."

--

It took a while to get Abby to calm down, and then she wouldn't let go of McGee. She clung to him, but McGee suffered through it. He sat on the couch, and Abby curled up into him. She soon fell asleep, her head resting on McGee's shoulder. Kate was sitting in front of her, rubbing her knee absentmindedly. The TV was on, but none of us were watching. It was on the weather channel, and they kept playing images of the storm. Abby had started to hyperventilate, and it took some soothing words from Tony to calm her down.

Tony was in the kitchen, making some hot chocolate for all of us. He was also making food, but that was more for him. Kate was looking at Tony's laptop, and I knew what she was thinking. I grabbed it, plugging the charging cord into it, and turned it on. I signed in, smiling as it loaded. Kate looked almost relieved when I handed her the laptop. She smiled, running her fingers over the mouse pad. I watched as she leaned her head up against Abby's knee when she stirred.

"Hot chocolate?" Tony asked, walking into the living room. He glared at Kate, who just smirked, and put a cup down next to me. He handed one to McGee, then gave one to Kate. He sat down on the edge of the couch next to McGee, and they each sipped the hot liquid. We were all quiet, Kate moving over to the other side of the room to type. She sipped on her hot chocolate, smiling every once in a while. I watched her face light up, and then she typed some more.

The lights surged, and I looked around. Kate was watching the computer, and Tony had an apprehensive look on his face. The wind started to blow again, the windows shaking.

"This storm is crazy." McGee observed, shifting so he was more comfortable. I kept rubbing Abby's knee, and she mumbled quietly. We sat in silence, watching the TV. Tony eventually got up and walked into the kitchen, and I followed him. He was sitting on the counter, his cup in his hands. I got up next to him, and sipped on my chocolate.

"We seem to always be sitting on some kitchen counter." He said, and I laughed half-heartedly. He finished his drink and put his cup in the sink. I looked out into the living room, the TV casting a strange glow over the room. I saw Abby twitch and McGee gently rub her back.

"We always do." I said absentmindedly. I watched the scene in the living room, knowing that under any other circumstances it wouldn't be this saddening.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up at him, and saw that his eyes were full of care, and his hand was reaching out to touch my knee. I took his extended hand, and he smiled.

"I'm fine." I lied, moving over to sit right next to Tony. He wrapped his other arm around my waist, pulling the hand he held across so I was wrapped up in his embrace.

"You can try to lie to me, Ziva David. But, I think I know you well enough to spot when you are." He whispered into my ear, and I shrugged.

"Well then, you should probably rethink that." I teased, and he chuckled.

"Come on Ziva. Honestly, are you okay?" He asked again, this time completely serious. I sighed, settling into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"I'm okay." I said, and he sighed.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Very sure." I lied again. I knew he didn't believe me, but he wasn't going to push the issue.

"Okay." He said.

--

"Guys?"

I rolled over, looking up a Tony's door. Abby was standing there, her hair a mess and her face pale. I was lying in Tony's bed, Tony's arm around my waist. Kate was in the extra bedroom, while McGee had fallen asleep with Abby still in his arms.

"Yes Abby?" I asked, and she rubbed her eyes. She looked like such a little kid.

"What time is it?" She asked, walking over to the bed. She plopped down on the floor, rubbing her eyes some more. I reached out and patted her cheek gently.

"Early. Are you alright?" I asked, and she nodded. She put her head in my hand, shutting her eyes again. I felt Tony's arm wrap tighter around my waist, and he tried to pull me back to his side. I looked over at him, and touched the side of his face. He opened his eyes. He looked at my other hand, and smiled at Abby.

"Good Morning Abby." He said quietly, and Abby looked up at him. I could see the redness in her eyes, and knew that she was still tired. I moved over in the bed, and patted next to me. Tony moved over a little so I had some room, and Abby crawled up into the bed next to me. I was slightly surprised that we could all fit on the bed, but we all did comfortably.

Abby curled up next to me, her arms going around my rib cage. She snuggled her face into my neck, and then her breathing became even. I put my arms around her, unsure of how to comfort her. This was how Tali would curl up next to our mother when she was afraid. And, seeing as I'd never been a mother or acted like one, having Abby curl up into my arms was strange. But all the same, I rested my cheek on her face.

"Comfortable?" Tony whispered in my ears, and I nodded. He sat up, moving to the end of the bed. I saw him stretch out, and then stand up.

"Where are you going?" I asked, and he smiled.

"I'm going to make breakfast. I'm starving!" He said, kissing my cheek before exiting the room. I watched him go, and then looked down at Abby. I moved so we weren't lying on the end of the bed, and Abby sighed.

"Ziva?" She asked, her voice muffled by my shirt.

"Yes, Abby?"

She paused, moving so she her mouth wasn't next to my shoulder.

"Do you think dad is alright?"

I shut my eyes, thinking. I didn't know the answer. Jenny hadn't called us, and it was now 8 o'clock in the morning.

"I don't know." I said, and Abby sniffed. I rubbed her back, and she took in a breath.

"I hope he's okay." She said quietly, and I smiled at her.

"He'll be fine. If I've learned one thing in these past months, it's that he's a fighter." I said, and Abby smiled.

"Do you think he's hurt?" She asked, and I looked straight ahead of me.

It was the one thing I couldn't remember, whether or not the tree actually crushed him. It was what I couldn't remember.

"I'm not sure." I breathed, and Abby squeezed me. We laid in silence, until Tony came back up the stairs.

"Are you guy's hungry?" He asked from the doorframe.

"I am." Abby said, looking at Tony. Tony nodded, moving down the hall to the room where Kate was sleeping. Abby looked back up at me.

"Are you going to go down to eat?" She asked, moving her arms from around me. I shrugged, letting her go. She sat up, looking down at me.

"You're not hungry?"

"Not really."

She nodded, and moved out of the door. I rolled over, curling up underneath Tony's blankets. They smelled exactly like him, and it brought a smile to my face. I curled my legs up to my chest, and let myself drift off a little. I could still hear Kate and Tony arguing downstairs, and Abby laugh at them. The phone rang, and I knew Abby answered it. Kate and Tony were too busy arguing over how to cook eggs.

"Guys, shush." Abby said, and I heard Tony huff. Abby spoke quietly, and then the phone was put back on the hack…. wait, hook. Kate and Tony started to argue again, but this time over something completely different from what they had been arguing about before.

"Tony, you are a pig." Kate said, and Tony laughed.

"Are you talking about the way I eat?" He asked, obviously swallowing some food. I heard someone thunder up the stairs, and Abby appeared next to me.

"That was mom." She breathed, and I opened my eyes.

"Why didn't you tell Kate and Tony?" I asked, and she smirked.

"They are fighting like brother and sister right now. I didn't feel like breaking that up." She said in a breath. I smiled at her, stretching out.

"What did she say?" I asked, knowing that Abby just needed one word to let the water gates open.

"She said that Daddy is sleeping right now. The tree fell on his leg, and just broke it. Nothing else. He had surgery to fix it, and now he's sleeping off the anesthesia." Abby said, and I smiled. She rolled onto the bed next to me, wrapping her arms around me again. I laughed, patting her back.

"Can you get Tony to drive me to the hospital?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Sure."

We went downstairs, where I laughed at Kate's face. She was watching Tony eat, her own food untouched.

"Gross." She said, pushing her food away from her. She looked up at us.

"Who was on the phone?" She asked, and Abby went into explanation again. Tony finished his food, listening to Abby blab. I sat down at the table next to him, and he smiled at me.

"Drive Abby to the hospital." I said, and Tony smiled.

"Of course." He said, finishing his food. He and Abby left soon after, Abby bouncing out the door. Kate watched them go, and then sat back down at the table. She grabbed Tony's laptop, turning it on again.

"Who are you talking too?" I asked nonchalantly. Kate blushed, moving her hand over her cheek. I smirked, putting Tony's plate in the sink. I started to wash the dishes to pass them time when Kate spoke.

"Ziva, can I ask you something?"

"You just did." I said, and she laughed.

"Well, yeah. But, in all seriousness, can I ask you a question?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Of course." I answered, and waited for her question. I looked back at her, and saw she was thinking. Her face was blank, but her eyes told everything. She looked confused.

"What's wrong?" I asked, whipping off my hands and shutting off the water. I sat down next to her, watching as she wrung her hands.

"Do you think Ari…. likes me?" She said quietly. I watched her wring her hands some more, and finally reached over to stop her. She looked up at me.

"Why do you ask?"

She paused, and I saw she was confused. I didn't ask her again, and it was a few minutes before she answered.

"I don't know." She admitted. I reached out and put my hand on Kate's shoulder, reassuring her.

"Don't worry. Long distance relationships are hard." I said, trying to find the right words. Kate nodded, looking at the computer. I reached over and shut it, looking at Kate.

"Don't do that. You can't be too clingy in a situation like this." I said, and Kate nodded. I watched her face as she let my words sink in, and then she smiled.

"Thanks Ziva."

I nodded at her, and she put her head on the table. I rubbed her back gently, and walked up the stairs again. I felt gross, and my hair was starting to get greasy. I decided on taking a shower, and walked into Tony's room to get a change of clothes.

I stood in the shower, feeling the warm water on my back. It felt really good to have the warm water on my shoulders. I walked out feeling better than before, and quickly put on my jeans and Tony's soft t-shirt. When I walked downstairs, Kate was waiting with car keys in her hand.

"Tony called. Said we should come to the hospital and see Gibbs." She said, eyeing my shirt. I glared at her.

"Like you don't wear-"

"I know." She cut me off, and I smiled at her. She linked her arm with mine, and we made our way to Kate's car. I grabbed my jacket on the way out, and slipped it over my head. It had ceased raining, but it was still windy. When we got into Kate's car, I immediately pulled my hair up.

"What is it like in Israel right now?" Kate asked, and I looked out the window.

"It's probably warmer than this." I answered, pulling my jacket around my body. I crossed my arms, and Kate started the car. She drove carefully to the hospital, and we saw the destruction the storm had left. Water was flowing into drains, and garbage sat in piles. I saw kids playing in the puddles, their raincoats and rubber boots on.

"This looks depressing for the day after Christmas." Kate said, and I nodded. I saw a woman grab her kid before he ran out into the street.

"At least they get to break in their presents." I said absentmindedly. Kate laughed at my comment, and I looked at her.

"It's ironic." She said, and I looked at her.

"How?"

"Well, the day after Christmas, you go outside with your new bike and ride around. Or you put on your new clothes and walk around in them, strutting your stuff. It's somewhat ironic that the day after Christmas is a dark day, and it looks like it's about to rain."

I nodded at Kate's logic, and smiled at a Christmas tree in a window.

"That is true." I said as we pulled up to the hospital. I got out, putting my hands on the sides of my face as the wind lashed at it. I grabbed Kate's arm and we ran up to the hospital. The lady at reception greeted us, and I smiled at her.

"Jethro Gibbs?" I asked, and she nodded. She looked at her patient lists, and then smiled.

"Room 210, on the second floor." She said, and I nodded. I shuddered as I got used to the warmth of hospital. Kate and I walked to the elevator, and we waited.

"Do you think Abby's happier now?" I asked Kate, and she laughed.

"I bet she's ecstatic." Kate said, and I smiled.

When we finally got up to the second floor, I saw Abby in the hall. She was standing next to Tony, and they were looking out the window. Abby kept looking at the door behind her, and then back at Tony. When she saw me, she squealed.

"He's awake!" She said as she threw herself at me. I caught her before we both fell, and she giggled.

"Then why are you out here?" Kate asked, and Abby pouted.

"The doctors have to check him out." Abby said, and Kate nodded. Tony moved over next to me, his arm finding it way around my waist. I smiled up at him, leaning my wet hair against his shoulder.

"How is he?" I asked, and Tony shrugged.

"He's….. Gibbs." He said, and Abby glared at him.

"He's alive!" She said, and Tony nodded.

"I know. He is still Gibbs." Tony said to Abby slowly, and she smiled.

"Yes, he is."

The hospital door opened, and Jenny popped her head out. She looked tired, and her long red hair was a mess. I felt my heart warm when I saw her smile at us, and then chuckle at Abby.

"You guys can come in now." She said, and Abby squealed again. She ran back into the room, and I followed Kate inside. Kate sat down in one of the chairs, and I looked at Gibbs.

He was laying in the bed, his leg held up and in a cast. He had a couple scratches on his face, and his wrist was held in a brace. I sat down on the one side of his bed, Tony standing next to me. Gibbs looked at me, and I saw him smile.

"Hey Ziver." He said, and I smiled at the nickname.

"Gibbs. How are you?" I asked, and he rolled his eyes.

"Could be better." He said, and I nodded. Jenny shook her head at him, but held his hand. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Has the storm died down?" Gibbs asked.

"The rain died down, but the wind is awful. It has to be hurricane force. And we still got cloud cover. Sucks for the day after Christmas." Tony mumbled the last part, and I gently elbowed him. He groaned, and I smirked up at him.

"It's a bad storm. That tree was too old to last through it." Gibbs said, and I winced at the memory.

"That was scary dad." Abby said. She was twiddling her thumbs, and I saw Kate pat her cheek. Gibbs and Abby started to have a conversation about the weather, as cliché as that sounded, and I got up. Jenny looked at me.

"I'm going to get something to eat." I said, and she nodded. She handed me some money, and Tony followed me out the door. He grabbed my hand as we walked, and I smiled up at him.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, and he rubbed his stomach.

"Always am." He said, and I smirked at him.

"Well, I want a salad." I said, and Tony gaped.

"Why a salad?" He asked. I laughed, moving into the hospital cafeteria. I found a salad and an ice tea, and went to pay. When I sat down, Tony looked at my salad in disgust.

"Yuck." He said, and I smiled.

"It's a salad, and it's good for you." I said, and Tony made a face. He grabbed a piece of chicken, and I smacked his hand.

"Keep your hands out of it." I said to him, and he shrugged his shoulders. He watched me eat, and eventually I looked up at him.

"Do you want a bite?" I asked, and he nodded. I made sure there was at least one piece of chicken on my fork and then fed him. He smiled at me, grabbing my green tea and taking a swig. I glared at him.

"You're going to make me skinny." I said, and he tilted his head at me.

"You already are though." He said, and I smiled at him.

"Thanks."

He laughed, taking my fork and filling it with lettuce and chicken. He held it up for me, and I smiled. I opened my mouth, and he fed me the salad. I smiled as I swallowed, and then grabbed my ice tea before he could take a drink.

"And Kate calls me a pig." He said, and I raised my eyebrow.

"Like I don't share." I said sarcastically. He smirked, grabbing my drink and getting up. I glared at him.

"Give it back." I said, and he laughed.

"Come get it."

I smirked at him, and I saw the small glint of fear in his eyes. Nevertheless, it was out done by his amusement.

"Oh, I'll give you a head start." I said, and he ran. I put my salad in the garbage, and ran after him.

* * *

**Ah, the fluff that I need. Had to type it out. Okay, I've seen a drop in reviews. Not a huge one, but a slight one. I hope you aren't getting bored with this. I've had the ending in my head for WEEKS now.**

**SUMMER VACATION! I'm not officially not a freshman anymore. Yeah babe! Okay. Done.**

**Reviews?  
Izzy(:**


	28. Chapter 28: New Years & April

**Hi. :)**

I want to say, this chapter is short because for a reason. Reason being, this is a Pre-Spring-Break chapter. Setting you up for the two chapters that are going to be spring break. And, those chapters are going to be lloonngg. :) I'm super excited. I love Spring Break, and this Spring Break is going to be great. That is for sure! I have......... so much stuff planned. I won't give it away, and I doubt you will even get what is implied. Ha ha ha.

I feel great right now. Summer is great. Ha ha, just saying.

Disclaimer: I got a new flower, Taco Bell, and some candy for my birthday from my friend. :D

Chapter Twenty Eight: New Years Eve & Day, and Before Spring Break.

* * *

"I bet you Gibbs is having a blast in the hospital right now." I said into Ziva's ear, and she smirked at me. I spun her around, pulling her back into my arms. She purposely stepped on my foot, and I grinned at her. I twirled her on the spot, and pulled her so her back was to my chest. I wrapped my arm around her waist, putting my mouth right next to her ear.

"You did that on purpose." I stated, and I felt her blush. I smiled to myself, twirling her back out under my arm. She laughed, smiling at me as I put my hand back on her waist.

"You are quite the dancer." She said, and I smiled.

I listened to the music as I moved around, Ziva following wherever I led. The older tune was perfect for dancing around, the beat easy to follow. All of the music was.

Every year, the town held a formal winter dance for anyone to attend. As usual, they had a disarray of music. It ranged from forties tunes, to Rihanna. Right now a song was playing that I knew was from the forties. And I could only guess it was called "Oh Johnny" because the woman kept singing it over and over. But it was the perfect song to dance too. The usually empty dance hall was now full of people, dressed in all kinds of formal attire.

Jenny had let Ziva borrow one of her more formal dresses. It was green, and fit her perfectly. I was really glad we had come.

"Tony, your eyes are wandering again." Ziva said, and I smiled at her. I spun around again, Ziva's dress flowing out and hitting my legs.

"You sure do a lot of spinning." She said, laughing as I dipped her. When we stood back up, I smiled at her.

"I like the feeling." I said, and she raised her eyebrows.

"Curious." She said, slipping out of my arms as the song ended. I watched her walk across the dance floor and walk over to the drinks. I saw some guys watch her walk, and smirked. I followed her to the drink table, slipping my arm around her waist. I smiled as she moved into my embrace, resting against me. She got water, and thanked the woman behind the counter. She turned to look at me, and I smiled.

"You attract a lot of attention." I said, and she shrugged.

"I would think that was a good thing." She said simply. I raised an eyebrow.

"It is?" I asked, and she smiled.

"It is. Instead of paying attention to other pretty girls, you'll be too busy claiming you own me." She said with a smirk, and I smirked back.

"They aren't pretty compared to you." I mumbled, and Ziva smiled. She kissed my cheek, taking my hand.

"See, it all works out." She said as she led me back onto the dance floor.

--

"Two minutes till midnight." I said, and Ziva smiled. She was sitting in my lap, and we were watching the crowd dance. Eventually, the formal dresses were hiked up and tux jackets were thrown on the floor. Most of the older guests had retired to the lounge area, and were sitting around tables eating and talking. That was where Ziva and I were. Ziva had her head resting on my chest, her arms around my torso. I had taken off my jacket and wrapped it around Ziva to keep her warm.

"One minute." She said, and I laughed.

"Are we going to count down seconds?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"Depends." She whispered, and I rubbed her back under the jacket. The back of her dress was cut out, and my fingers were touching bare skin. She shuddered a little, and I smiled slightly.

"Thirty seconds." I whispered, and she nodded. She looked up at me, moving in my lap.

"Counting down now?" I asked, and she shrugged. I saw her smirk, and chuckled.

"You know, we have to keep tradition." I said, and she looked back up at me.

"What tradition?" She asked, and I smiled.

_Ten.  
Nine.  
Eight.  
_  
"You don't know the tradition?"

_Seven.  
Six.  
Five._"Not really."

_Four.  
Three.  
Two._"Well, this is going to be a learning experience then." I said with a smirk.

_One!_I leaned down slowly, kissing her just as everyone started to cheer. Ziva wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down even closer to her. I moved my arms around her waist, feeling the soft skin. She shuddered again, pulling back. I smiled at her, looking into her eyes.

"Oh yes, a learning experience." She teased, and I smiled.

"You keep getting better." I teased back, and she rolled her eyes. She rested her forehead on my shoulder, and I put my cheek against her hair.

"Happy New Year." I whispered.

"Happy New Year to you too."

As we walked out, I noticed the moon was bright in the sky. The clouds from the huge storm had long since left, and it was now a typical winter. I noticed Ziva wrapped my jacket around her tighter, and I moved my arm around her waist. She smiled at me, and we walked down the street. Since the dance hall wasn't far from where we lived, we had decided to walk. When we finally got home, I was surprised to see Jenny was still up. When Ziva and I walked into the living room, she smiled up at us.

"Happy New Year guys." She said, and Ziva smiled. She leaned down and kissed Jenny's cheek, then moved up the stairs.

"I'm getting changed." She said, and I sat down on the couch. Jenny reached over and ruffled my hair, and I smiled at her.

"Did you guys have fun?" She asked, and I shrugged.

"We had a good time. At least, I know I did." I said, looking up the stairs. I could hear Ziva walking around.

"Good. Did Ziva have a good time?" Jenny asked more quietly. I looked at her, and smiled.

"Yeah, I think so." I said with a smile, and she grinned.

"I need help." Ziva yelled down the stairs, and I got up. I walked up the stairs, and to Ziva's door. I knocked, and the door opened. I walked in to see Ziva standing there with the dress still on, her hair pulled to the side.

"Help me undo the zipper?" She asked, lifting up her arm. I undid the clasp, and pulled the zipper down to where it stopped at her hip. I had to focus on my hands, which were trembling, and Ziva smiled.

"Thank you Tony." She said, moving away from me. I sat down at her desk, facing away from her. I looked at the pictures, and then I heard her grunt.

"Stupid dress." She said, and it was suddenly sitting on my head. We both laughed, and I picked it off my head.

"Thanks." I said, feeling the warmth that lingered in the fabric. She laughed again, moving over behind me. She slipped her arms around my neck, kissing my cheek.

"You are welcome." She whispered, grabbing the dress back from me. "I'm dressed."

I turned around in the chair, undoing my tie. I put it on the desk behind me, looking at Ziva. She was putting the dress back on her hanger, smoothing out the pleats. She was wearing long pajama pants, and a tank top. She had straightened her hair earlier, and it was not up in a long ponytail. I smiled at her, and she raised an eyebrow at me. She sat down on her bed, taking off her earrings. I watched her carefully, noticing little things she did as she moved. She kept pushing stray pieces of hair off her face.

"Tony, stop staring." She said, slapping my cheek playfully. I grabbed her hand, pulling her down into my lap again. She giggled slightly, and I smiled.

"Tony, I'm tired. I want to go to bed. I am tired." She said, and I sighed.

"I'll see you… later then." I said, and she laughed.

"You're not going anywhere." She said, looking up at me. I furrowed my eyebrows, and she grinned. She pushed me up off the chair, and pushed some clothes into my hand. She then, rather forcefully, pushed me out the door and into the bathroom.

"Come back when you're done." She said, and I smirked.

Just like most nights for the past month, we would be sharing the same bed yet again. I smiled as I changed into the clothes Ziva had thrown in my hands, and moved back into her room.

It was a great way to start the year.

--

Three months passed, and soon it was almost Spring Break. After New Years, Gibbs came home and was ordered to get some bed rest. On Valentine's Day, Jenny and Gibbs went out to dinner, and Abby, McGee, Kate, Ziva and I stayed home and decorated cards. Well, they did. I sat and watched Ziva draw little hearts on a card for Jenny. Valentine's Day ended up being on a Sunday, and that following Monday was Washington's Holiday and there was no school. We spent the day helping Gibbs clean up the pool and back yard. March was boring, nothing but McGee accidently falling down the stairs happening. It was a hilarious ordeal, until he fell on me. There was now two days until Spring Break, and we were all making plans.

"Abby, what do you think you are doing?"

I laughed at Gibbs' face, and his hand made contact with the back of my head. I groaned, and Ziva chuckled.

"So, where are you going for Spring Break?" Kate asked me, and I smiled.

"Well, my family has this little house out in California. I go there sometimes on Spring Break or during the summer."

"Only quiet time we get here." Gibbs said, and I ignored his comment.

"I'm going there." I finished. Kate nodded, looking at the laptop in front of her. She smiled at something, and started to type again.

"What, Ziva isn't going with you?" She teased, and I smirked.

"As a matter of fact, I am." Ziva said as she walked back into the room. She sat down on the stool next to me, taking her hand in mine. I smiled at her, and Kate laughed.

"You are allowing this?" Kate asked Gibbs, who shrugged.

"Do you think DiNozzo would be alive if I thought they would do something that I would eventually regret?" He said, and Kate shrugged.

"Well….." She trailed off, and I smirked. I looked at my phone, and got up.

"I need to go pack." I said. I ruffled Ziva's hair, going out the back door and over the fence. I walked inside, finding my mom sitting on the couch. She smiled at me as I walked in, and I smiled back.

"Getting packed?" She asked, and I nodded. I walked up the stairs, pulling my luggage out of the hallway closet. Putting it on the floor in front of my closet, I started to fill it with everything I needed for my trip.

_(Ziva's POV)_

I picked up my swimsuit, thinking it over.

_Bikini or one piece?_

I smirked, knowing Tony would love to see me in a bikini. I put the one piece in the suitcase, putting the bikini deep in the pile of clothes that already sat in the suitcase. I knew he wouldn't look far, and he would probably pout upon seeing the one piece.

"Ziva, do you need anything?" Abby asked, walking in. She sat down next to the suitcase, picking up the one piece.

"Nope. I think I've got everything." I said, and I saw the look Abby gave the one piece.

"You know, Tony will most likely want to see you in a bikini." She said, and I nodded.

"Exactly why I packed the one piece. _And_ the two piece." I said, and Abby laughed.

"Devious. I like it." Abby said in a wicked voice, and I smirked. I picked up my gladiator sandals, putting them in the bag. I looked at the clothes I had, smiling.

"Do you think this will be enough?" I asked Abby, and she nodded.

"It will. It's only a week." Abby said, patting my leg. I smiled at her, pulling on her pigtail.

"Keep McGee company." I said, and she blushed. I smirked at her, pushing myself off the ground and stretching out my legs.

"I will." Abby said, standing up next to me. She surveyed my suitcase, and then smiled.

"You need a carry on." She said, and I nodded. I quickly grabbed my backpack, emptying all of my school stuff onto the floor, and put some essentials in the bag.

"There, all set." I said. I smiled at Abby, and I saw she looked sad.

"What's wrong Abby?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"Bad thoughts. Gotta be an optimist. Gotta be an optimist." She said it again, as if to reassure herself. I reached over to her, holding her hand.

"Abby, it's okay." I said, and she sighed.

"Yeah, I know. But, it's all going to be déjà vu when you do leave." She said, and I shook my head.

"No. It's not. Be optimistic." I said with a smile, and she grinned.

"Okay, happy thoughts."

--

After checking in our luggage, we sat down and waited for our plane to start boarding. I sat down in one of the horrid chairs, pulling my knees up to my chest. Tony sat down next to me, playing a game on my iTouch. I watched him as he tried to stack sheep up without having them fall. He scrunched up his face, and I smiled as the sheep tumbled again.

"Damn." He whispered. I reached over and ruffled his hair, and he smiled at me. He went back to playing, and I closed my eyes. I listened to the sounds around me, thinking about the next week.

One week, California, and each day with Tony. I was excited yet anxious at the same time. I knew it was going to be fun.

"I suck at his game." He said, and I looked over at him. He was exiting the game, and going to another app. I grabbed my iTouch, and pulled my headphones out of his ears. He gave me puppy eyes, and I smirked.

"I wish to listen to it on the plane." I said, putting the headphones in. I turned on the music, and I didn't hear when they called my plane number. Tony grabbed my hand and pulled me on, leading me to my seat. I sat down next to the window, looking out at the airport windows.

"Excited?" Tony whispered in my ear, and I smiled at him.

"Very much so." I whispered back, settling into his arms and getting comfortable for the flight.

Tony wrapped his arms around my waist, and rested his cheek on my head.

"I'm glad."

* * *

**Kay, so.  
****  
Review with an idea of what they should do in California for the week. Want to say they will be in the upper region of California. I know that region of California the best, and there are some AWESOME places that they are going to be at. Completely awesome places.**

But, send me an idea. I might use it. Depends on how good it is. :)

Reviews?

-Izzy.


	29. Chapter 29: Spring Break Part One

**WOO! We are at SPRING BREAK!!! Oh my gosh, so happy right now. This is great, really. Ohkay, so. Long chapter, if you havent already looked at your scroll bar. Just to let you know, long. took me three days to type. Gahh, anywho. I think some of these parts are funny, and a little goofy.**

**This chapter is Sunday night, Monday, Tuesday, and part of Wednesday. The break lines(the big, long ones) are the break between days. Jsut to let you know. :)**

**Okay, READ!**

**Disclaimer: I actually can't claim ownage to ANYTHING in this chapter. look up the Saturn Sky on google. I want that car, but I'd have to work for YEARS! anywho, yeah.**

**Spring Break Part One.**

* * *

"That's a sad song."

"Who cares?"

"I do. I don't wish to listen to a sad song."

"But it's a great song Zee-vah. Great!"

"Yes, but the term 'Can't Stand Losing You' seems a little ironic to me, don't you think?"

"Ironic? More like unfair." I grumbled, and her hand found my chin in the darkness of the plane.

"Hence why I don't want to listen to it." She whispered, and I sighed.

"It's still a great song." I said, and she laughed.

"You're impossible."

We went back to sitting in silence, the plane flying into the sunset. I reached across Ziva and opened the window cover, and we both looked out upon the clouds. I could see the sun was just setting, and the clouds were settling over the airport at which we were landing.

"Do you have that song that was at the dance?"

"Which dance?"

"_The_ dance." She said, and I smirked.

"I put it on your iTouch." I said, and she looked down at her iTouch. She scanned through the songs, and then she smiled.

"You didn't."

"So did. Good song to dance to in the shower." I teased, and she quirked an eyebrow at me.

"You wish."

"Ladies and Gentleman, if you could please fasten your seatbelts, and put your seats in the upright position; we will be landing in San Francisco soon."

Ziva huffed, moving her head off my shoulder and back into her own seat. She put her seat up right, and then buckled her seat belt. I smirked at her.

"Little ninja hates planes." I teased, and she found a pressure point on my hand. I didn't make a sound though, learning that when I did, it just gave her more pleasure.

"Shut up." She hissed at me, and I did as told.

"Ma'am, please put up your tray." The flight attendant said to Ziva, and she snapped the makeshift table shut. The woman smiled at Ziva, then moved away. I saw the eye roll Ziva gave her.

"Tart." Ziva mumbled, and I laughed. The plane started to descend, so I sat back and shut my eyes. I felt Ziva's hand on mine, and squeezed her fingers.

After the plane landed, Ziva stood up and stretched out her arms. I slowly stood, grabbing my carry on that Ziva handed me.

"Ah, California." I said as we walked off the plane and up into the terminal. I grabbed Ziva's hand, keeping her close to me.

"Where is the house?" She asked me, and I smiled.

"Up a little north from here." I said, and she nodded.

"Are we getting a car?"

"Oh yeah."

It didn't take me long to get a great car, much to Ziva's impatience. She rolled her eyes as we walked up to the two seater, cherry red, Saturn 'Sky' convertible. I smiled at it, and Ziva rolled her eyes again.

"It's a car, Tony." She said, and I smiled.

"A _hot_ car, Zee-vah. _Hot_ car." I said, putting my luggage in the trunk. I lifted Ziva's stuff up in too, and then threw our carry-on's in the front. Ziva jumped up over the door and sat down in the passenger seat. I opened the door dramatically, and she scoffed at me.

"Come on Tony. It is a _hot_ car. Get in it like it's a _hot_ car." She teased. I sat down carefully, and smirked at her.

"I could leave the top up. It gets cold in San Francisco at night. Fog socks in, creates this eerie look-"

"Okay, I get it." She said, pulling her jacket out of her bag. She pulled it over her head, and I smiled at her.

"I'll put the top down." I said.

After turning on the car and putting the top down, I drove out onto the freeway, heading towards where the beach house was. Ziva found the iPod plug, and plugged her iTouch into the car. Soon, 'Hot N Cold' was blasting through the speakers. I turned down the music, and she glared at me.

"Please Ziva. Dignity. "I said, and she smirked. She changed the song, and I suddenly missed Katy Perry. She tried to turn it up, but I shut the radio off.

"Okay, ground rules. Nothing Disney, or Nick, no overly girly song, no Brittney Spears or Christina Aguilera, and definitely no Madonna. Although, some of her songs are okay. You can play some Beyoncé, but no 'Single Ladies' if you value my sanity." I said, and she laughed.

"Oh, and no whiny country songs about a dying dog or a broken heart. And if you play Soulja-"

"Okay, I get it. Good music. How does 'Hotel California' sound?" She asked, and I grinned.

"That sounds perfect." I said, and she nodded. The opening cords sounded throughout the car. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel.

_On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair  
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air  
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light  
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim  
I had to stop for the night_

I sang along, causing Ziva to laugh at my horrible singing voice.

"Why don't you pay attention to the road?" She asked between laughs, and I smirked.

"Yes ma'am." I said, and her hand made contact with my shoulder.

"I hate being called ma'am." She said.

I got off the freeway, smiling at the sight of the town I had spent my childhood summers terrorizing.

"You know, this is my first time here in three years, and without my mom. Usually me and her went." I said, and Ziva nodded.

"New experience for you?" She asked, and I glanced at her.

"Nope. I usually ditched her pretty easily." I said, and Ziva laughed.

"Just remember, I can track you down." She said with nonchalance. I smirked at her, turning onto Highway 1.

"Might want to hold on. This road gets pretty curvy." I said, and Ziva smiled at me.

"Your driving can't be as bad as Gibbs." She said, and I smirked.

"No, but this road can give him a run for his money."

I ended up being right. By the time we were halfway to Point Reyes, she was holding onto the "oh shit" handle, and her legs were up to her chest. Nevertheless, she didn't flinch.

"Not bad." She said as I pulled up to the house. It was a small, two-bedroom house that sat about ten feet from the water, and in the morning we would be able to see across the bay to the road we had traveled on to get to where we were. At the moment, it was too foggy.

"So, where are we exactly?" Ziva asked, and I smiled.

"Well, we are on the west side of the Tomales Bay. Not far from Point Reyes and not a highly populated area. Quaint little place." I said, and Ziva nodded. She grabbed her suitcase, following me inside the house. I put my bags down on the ground, and Ziva followed suit. I sighed.

"I love this place." I said, and I heard Ziva in the kitchen. I followed her in there, and saw she was sitting on the counter. I sat down at the table, looking at the clock.

"It's late. We should get to bed." I said, and she smiled.

"I'm taking a shower first." She said, and I nodded. She disappeared up the stairs, and then I smirked as I remembered that she left her shampoo in her bag. I heard the bathroom door open back up.

"Tony?"

"Yeah, you need your shampoo." I said, and I heard her laugh. I opened her suitcase, and frowned.

"You packed a _one piece_?" I yelled up the stairs, and I heard her laughter. I grabbed her shampoo and made my way up the stairs.

"A _one piece_ Ziva? You brought a _one piece_ to California?" I asked through the door, and I heard her laughing again. She opened the door, and I saw the water was already on and she was getting ready to jump in.

"Yes, I brought a one piece to California." She said, grabbing the shampoo and shutting the door. I smirked, growling slightly as I walked down the stairs and pulled the suitcases back up the stairs. I put both of the suitcases in the master bedroom, and I looked around. The room obviously had been dusted and cleaned by the group of house cleaners that went from beach house to beach house before the owners showed up in the summer. I laid down on the bed in the middle of the room, closing my eyes and listening to the shower. It was getting late, and since the time difference was three hours, it felt like 2 AM rather than 11 PM.

When Ziva walked in, she was wrapped in a dark towel. I smiled at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"I need my pajamas." She said as she opened her suitcase and pulled them out. She disappeared again, and I pulled on my pajamas. I was just settling into the bed when she walked back in, her hair pulled up and her pajamas on. She smiled at me as she walked around the bed and slipped in on the opposite side of me.

"This reminds me of a movie." I said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Really?" She didn't sound surprised.

"Well, not just one movie. But most movies with married couples." I said, and she laughed.

"Well, we most certainly not married." She said, rolling over and shutting off the lights. I stared at the ceiling, and then turned to her.

"I bet we could fool some people."

* * *

I woke up to the smell of food, and my watch going off. I shut it off, and sat up straight. Ziva was down stairs, and I could hear the television. I stood up and walked down the stairs, smiling as I saw Ziva making breakfast. I sat down at the table, and she smiled.

"Morning." She said, and I yawned.

"Morning." I answered, and she put a plate of food in front of me. I grinned at the food, and took the fork she gave me.

"This looks great Ziva." I said, and she smiled. She sat down next to me, and I saw she wasn't eating as much as I was.

"What are we doing today?" She asked, pulling her legs up to her chest. I looked at her, and smirked.

"Oh, you'll see."

Two hours later, I parked in a parking garage near China Town. Ziva looked at me, and I smiled.

"China Town is amazing." I said. "Best food I've ever eaten."

Ziva raised an eyebrow, and got out of the car. I locked it, and followed her down the ramp and out into the sun.

"Where are we going?" She asked, and I smiled.

"Where ever we want. This place has great shops." I said, and she groaned.

"Shopping." She grumbled, and I laughed.

"You'll like some of the stuff they have."

"Doubt it."

I pulled her down the street and through the crowd. We stopped at some random shops, but it took a while before she even thought about buying anything. We were in a dress shop, and her eyes were on a dark purple dress that was sitting on one of the racks. I came up behind her, and put my hand on her shoulder.

"I like that dress." I said, and she elbowed me.

"Then try it on." She said, grabbing it before I could and walking to the changing rooms. I smirked as she went, and turned around to look at the glass case.

Inside were many figurines, and some necklaces. I looked at the necklaces, seeing one that I knew Abby would like. The sales lady walked over to me, and I smiled at her.

"Can I see that one?" I asked, pointing to the necklace. She nodded, pulling it out for me. She handed it to me, and I smiled at it.

"That will be perfect for Abby." Ziva said, and I smiled. She was holding the purple dress on her finger, and her eyes were on the necklace.

"Thought so." I said, and I smiled at the sales lady.

"I'll get this." Handing her back the necklace, I grabbed the dress Ziva had. "And this."

The sales lady smiled at us.

"Would you like the dress wrapped?" She asked in a thick Chinese accent. I nodded.

"Yes please." I said. She smiled at me, and moved to wrap the dress up. I turned to Ziva, resting against the glass case. She smiled at me, and then watched her dress be wrapped up.

"Do you like the dress?" I asked, and she smirked.

"I know you will." She said. I laughed, ruffling up her straight hair. She glared at me, and took the bag when the woman handed it to her. I took the jewelry box from her, and paid. We walked back outside, and Ziva looked down the street. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to another dress shop.

"More dresses?" I asked as we walked inside. She smiled sweetly at me.

"Hey, we are in California aren't we?"

After ten more dresses, and five dress shops later, we walked back to the car. I put the boxes in the back, and watched as Ziva jumped into the front seat.

"You always going to do that?" I asked, and she laughed.

"Yes." She said plainly, and I laughed. I got back in the car, and Ziva turned to me.

"I'm hungry." She said, and I smiled.

"Lunch it is." I said, putting the top down. After lunch and many Chow Mein noodle fights, we drove back through the city. I suddenly got an idea, and turned down towards Pier 39.

"Where are we going now?" Ziva asked, and I smirked.

"You are going to love this." I said, and she shrugged. She sat back and looked at the Ferry Terminal. I found another parking garage near the Pier, and Ziva looked at me.

"Are you sure I'm going to love this?" She asked, sounding skeptical. I shrugged.

"You'll laugh." I said. She followed me down the Pier, past the little shops and kids crying over ice cream. I pulled her right over to where the seals all sat, and Ziva chuckled. They all started to bark, and I saw Ziva's smile grow. She leaned against the railing, pulling her sunglasses up and off her eyes. She looked at me and smiled.

"That is pretty funny." She said, and smirked.

"Told you." I said. She rolled her eyes, and looked away. She grabbed my hand, and pulled me back to Pier 39.

"Where are we going?" I asked her, and I saw her grin.

"Candy shop."

After filling our bags with candy, we walked across the way to a sock shop. Ziva got a kick out of the thigh high socks, but didn't buy any. She just wanted to laugh. When we finished, we walked slowly back to our car, hand in hand. It was seven when we reached the car, and my stomach grumbled.

"Someone's hungry." Ziva said, and I raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want, milady?" I asked, and she giggled at my accent.

"What do you want, Sire?" She asked in a fake accent. I shrugged.

"Home cooking it is."

We drove out of the city and across the Golden Gate. Ziva took off her sunglasses and looked over my head at the sun. Her hand rested on my shoulder, and I looked up at her. She was smiling, and the wind was blowing her hair to the side. I smiled at her, and then she plopped down in her seat again. She moved over so she could talk into my ear.

"It's really beautiful here." She said, and I smiled at her.

"It really is." I said, driving off the bridge and down the highway. Eventually, we had to stop to get gas, at which point I put the top down. Ziva had started to get comfortable in the front seat, which wasn't hard seeing as which the seats were cozy enough I wanted to doze off. She had curled onto her side, facing me. I smiled at her as I sat back down in the driver seat, and she opened her eyes.

"Are we home yet?" She asked, and I shook my head.

"Not yet." I said, and she shut her eyes again.

She slept all the way home, through the bigger town that was just outside the country, and then past the Military Training Center. Gibbs told me what it was one year when I came back from a trip. I was surprised to see her sleep on Highway 1. Nevertheless, she did, her hand resting on the console. When I pulled up to the house, she didn't stir though. I sighed, popping the trunk and getting out of the car. I carried all of the boxes and bags inside, putting them in the small living room. I walked back out to see Ziva getting out of the car, her eyes still looking sleepy.

"Good Morning sweet cheeks." I said, and she glared at me. I didn't know, though, if it could be considered glaring when her eyes were squinted. I walked over to her and picked her up, holding under her shoulder and knees.

"Tony, I can walk by myself." She said, and I laughed.

"I know. But you need to have energy to eat dinner." I said, and she smirked at me. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I carried her inside. I put her down in the kitchen, and she moved up onto the counter. I smiled, and she rested her head against the wall.

"Can we have salad?" She asked, and I glared at her.

"Salad? Anthony DiNozzo doesn't know the meaning of that word." I said, and she scrunched her forehead.

"Is that a movie reference?" She asked, and I sighed.

"You want a salad?" I asked, and she nodded.

"This is California." She said, using my own words against me. I glared at her, and she smiled.

"Salad it is." I said, but then stopped.

"How do I make a… salad?" I asked teasingly, and she huffed. Suddenly, she was wide-awake and she jumped off the counter. She made her way over to the fridge, grabbing two green bags, a bag of already cooked chicken, and some dressing. She then walked over to the counter in which I stood in front of, and put the stuff down.

"You cut up the lettuce, put it in a bowl with some premade salad mix, then cut up the chicken and put it in the bowl too." She said, sniffing the chicken. She smiled, putting it back down, and picking up the dressing. "Then you put the dressing on top of that, and wa-la. Salad." She said, sarcasm dripping in her voice. I glared at her.

"You know sarcasm is the refuge of a shallow mind?"

She rolled her eyes at me, moving to the table and sitting down. I made her a salad, and then made myself some pasta. When I sat down, Ziva was slowly picking at her food.

"You know, this is actually good." She said, and I stuck my tongue out at her. She sat back a little.

"Can you chew with your mouth closed, please?" She said, and I slurped the noodle back into my mouth. She rolled her eyes, and went back to eating her food. I finished my pasta before she finished her salad, and I put my dishes in the sink. I walked into the living room, and sat down next to the boxes of dressed. I picked one up, shaking it.

"Don't do that." Ziva said from the kitchen, and I glared at the door. I opened the box quietly, looking at the white summer dress inside. I was just shutting the box when Ziva walked in, obviously finished with her salad. She sat down next to me, kicking off her shoes and putting them next to the end of the couch. She grabbed another box and opened it up. Inside was a green dress, and it looked incredibly soft. She put the box down, picking up the bag that had the candy in it. She pulled it out and opened the bag, reaching in to grab a gummy worm.

"I'm tired." She said, still chewing on the gummy worm. I looked at her, and saw she was completely slumped against the couch.

"To bed then, milady."

* * *

I rolled over, my hand hitting Ziva's shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her to me in the darkness. Since my brain was three hours fast, I kept waking up too early. So, I kept waking up at five and thinking it was eight. I knew that for the rest of this trip, there was going to be no sleeping in.

"Mm, go back to sleep Tony." She mumbled, and I sighed.

"I wish." I said, and she rolled over to face me. Her hair was getting messy, and her face was relaxed.

"You wish what?" She asked, yawning. I smiled at her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Go back to sleep." I said, and she shrugged.

"I'm awake." She said, her voice groggy. I smiled at her.

"No, you're half asleep." I said.

"I don't want half a sheep." She said, sounding put off. I couldn't help but chuckle at her, and she looked up at me.

"What's so funny?" She asked, her voice getting small. I realized she was reverting to when she was a child, and smiled.

"Go back to sleep." I said quietly, and she shrugged.

"What your fascination with sheep all of a sudden?" She said, moving her head to rest on my arm. Her breathing got quieter, and then she fell back to sleep.

"Sheep." I grumbled, scrunching up my nose.

"Baa." I said, and I shut up when Ziva moved. When I was sure she was peacefully resting, I reached over behind me and grabbed my watch. It was only 7 AM.

"Baa." I said again, and suddenly I was on my back. Ziva's face was an inch away from mine, her hands resting on either side of my face.

"Shut. Up." She said, rolling off me and standing up on the floor. I gaped at her.

"I thought you were asleep." I said as she walked over to the closet.

"I was almost asleep, but an annoying sheep in my ear told me to get up." She said, and I watched as she pulled my shirt off over her head. I didn't move my head to see any further, knowing that she was only wearing underwear under that shirt.

"Well, sorry." I said, sitting up on the edge of the bed. I rubbed my eyes, the image of her bare back in my mind.

"Ah, well. I'm all better now." She said, walking across the room in the purple dress she had bought yesterday. I saw that it did really look good in her.

"Nice dress." I said, and she looked at me. She scrunched her nose.

"Nice stomach." She said, and I glared at her. I stood up, stretching my arms and walked over to the closet. I pulled out a shirt and jeans, putting them on. Ziva walked back into the bedroom, her sandals clicking on the ground. I looked at them and smirked.

"I'll call you gladiator, and you shall be my gladiator." I said in my best Dory impression. She laughed at me.

"Finding Nemo?" She asked, and I smiled.

"Hey, finally got one right."

--

"I don't see your fascination with this."

"You will once you see me get a hole in one."

"Ha, like I'd let you."

"Are we talking about the same thing here?"

Ziva shrugged, moving around me with her putter in her hand. She lined up the shot, and sunk the ball.

"We might be. Depends on what area of your brain you're using." She said, and I smirked.

"I don't think I can figure that out. My brain went to the gutter hours ago." I said, and Ziva laughed.

"Well then, we are not talking about the same thing." She said, and I glared at her.

"Ha, so you're not talking about golf here? Because I was."

She kept her mouth shut, watching as I sunk the ball. She didn't say anything until we were at the next little obstacle course, and she was going up to hit.

"Let's make a bet; if I get this in on the first shot, you have to do dishes." She said, and I moved up next to her.

"What do I get if I do?" I asked, and she smiled at me.

"Anything you want." She said, and I smirked.

"Deal." I said.

Ziva went first, and aimed for the shot. Then she stopped.

"And if we both don't get it?" She asked, and I smirked.

"First one to get it in." I said.

Ziva missed her first attempt, much to my surprise. So, when I lined up, Ziva seemed a little fidgety. I hit the ball, and it went right through the moving windmill arms and into the hole. I turned to Ziva, and smirked. She rolled her eyes at me, moving to retrieve her ball and go to the next hole.

"Oh yes. Victory." I said, and she rolled her eyes again. She mumbled something in Hebrew, and then smacked my arm.

"Go fish your brain out of the gutter."

--

"Ah, movies." I said, and Ziva rolled her eyes at me.

"I'm going to regret this, I just know it." She said, and I smiled.

"Not really. Why don't you help me choose?" I asked, and she plopped down next to me in front of the huge shelf filled with DVD's. She looked up and down the row, and then grabbed a movie.

"Nothing Disney, please." I said, and she glared at me. I looked at the clock on the wall, surprised to see it was only 6.

"How about 'Click'?" She asked, and I smiled.

"I can do with that." I said. She got up and made her way to the couch, curling up in the middle. I put the DVD in, and then moved to sit next to her.

"I have to warn you, this is a huge movie for waterworks at the end." I said, and she shrugged.

"Do I look like the kind to cry at a sad movie?" She asked, and I shrugged.

"I'm still thinking about it." I said, and she slapped my stomach quietly.

"I'm not." She said, and I shrugged. I settled back against the couch pillows, and she moved to lean against me.

_(Ziva's POV)_

Halfway through the movie, I shifted so I could lie across Tony's lap. It was warm in the house, and I could see the sun was still shining outside. I sat up straight, getting an idea. I got off the couch, running up the stairs and into the bedroom. I dug into my suitcase, grabbing the bikini.

"What are you doing Ziva?" Tony yelled from downstairs, and I smirked.

"Nothing." I yelled back, slipping into the bathroom. I changed into the bikini and put my dress back on. I slipped down the stairs, keeping my shoes off. Tony looked up at me when I walked in, and I saw a fat Adam Sandler on the TV.

"Let's go to the beach." I said, and Tony raised an eyebrow.

"You want to go to the beach?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Yes." I said, moving to the front door. I looked back at him, and smiled.

"Well, hurry up." I said, walking out the door and down to the dock that our house and the house next door shared. I slipped off my dress, feeling the warm night air hit my bare stomach. I jumped into the water, swimming around before coming back up for air. When I did, Tony was standing on the edge of the dock in his swim trunks. He kicked off his shoes and jumped in next to me, pulling me down into the water with him. I could feel his shock at my bikini. When we came back up for air, he was smirking.

"You did bring a two piece." He said, "And a hot one at that."

I smirked at him, pushing him and swimming away. He caught my ankle, pulling me back through the water to him.

"Ah-ah. Not so fast." He said, wrapping his arms around my waist. I smiled at him, and he growled.

"You're devious." He said, and I laughed.

"Abby said those exact words." I said, and he smiled.

"Well, we have known each other for years. I guess we just think the same way now." He said. I wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning in.

"I sure hope not. I'll have to lock my door." I said, pushing away from him and ducking under the water. I swam out into the bay, coming up next to the buoy. Tony was lazily backstroking out into the middle, and the top of his head hit my shoulder. He turned over onto his stomach, floating next to me.

"So, why did you want to go swimming again?" He asked me, and I shrugged.

"I was bored inside." I said, moving backwards around the buoy. Tony followed me, his wet hair hanging over his eyes. I reached up and pushed the hair back off his face. He gave me a look, and I kept swimming backwards.

"Well, are you bored now?" Tony asked, and I shook my head.

"Nope." I said, pushing off the buoy and swimming back to the shore. Tony followed me, keeping up with my pace. We came up under the dock at the same time. Tony was panting slightly, and I smiled.

"Tired?" I asked, swimming backwards. I noticed that he would follow me anywhere.

"Not yet." He said, finding my waist with his hand and pulling me back to him. I smirked at him.

"Well, you will be." I said. I moved back from him, swimming away. He followed me, and then he splashed my face. I glared at him and splashed him back. Soon, we were full on fighting. He dunked me under the water, and I let myself relax. When Tony let go of my head, I stayed under the water. Tony pulled me up out of the water, looking distressed. When he saw me smiling, his distress went away. He now looked a little peeved.

"Not funny." He said quietly, and I smiled. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and hugged him.

"It was." I said sarcastically. He held me close, and I sighed.

"I'm sorry Tony. But, it was funny." I said, and he didn't answer. I looked at him, and his eyes were a little glassy.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and he nodded.

"I'm trying not to blink." He said, and I watched as he didn't. I smiled when he finally did, and then he blinked rapidly. I laughed, unwrapping myself from him and swimming on the spot.

"Ridiculous." I said to him, and he smiled. He grabbed my waist again, pulling me to him. He kissed me softly.

"But, that wasn't funny." He whispered, and I smiled.

"For a minute it was." I said, and he shrugged.

"Up until you went limp." He said. I smiled at him. I pushed away from him, swimming out from under the dock. Tony followed me out, dunking under the water and swimming around me. I swam under with him and we swam down to the bottom. Tony was swimming around, pulling at the grass. I grabbed his swim trunks and hauled him to the surface. When we got there, he sputtered water in my face.

"What was that about?" He asked, and I smiled.

"I just wanted to come back to the surface." I said, and he shrugged at me.

"Whatever milady wants."

--

I wrapped myself up in the towel that Tony had put out for me, and walked down the stairs. I had just jumped in the shower in my bikini, not feeling the need to take it off. Tony was sitting on the couch, his wet swim trunks replaced with pajama pants. I ruffled my hair, feeling the wet droplets hitting my already dry arms. I walked over to the couch, sitting down in Tony's lap. He wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing my forehead.

"How was your shower?" He asked.

"It was hot." I said, and he laughed.

"I knew that." He mumbled, and I smiled at him. I moved in his lap, sitting so I was straddling his waist and facing him. He smirked at me

"This reminds me of Christmas." He said, and I smiled.

"And if I don't repeat that?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Remember, I can have whatever I want." He said, and I smiled.

"Ah, well if I don't want it, you can't have it." I said, and he nodded.

"I know that." He said, leaning forward and kissing me again. I moved my hands into his damp hair, and his arms went around my waist. When he pulled back, I rested my forehead on his.

"Is that all, Sire?" I asked, and he shook his head. He kissed me again as he pulled me yet even closer to him. When his hands found their way under my towel and over my bare stomach, I pulled back. He looked at me apprehensively. I smiled, leaning forward and kissing him again.

"You're-"

I kissed him again, moving his hands back to my sides.

"Fine." I whispered against his lips.

I could feel his smile even through the kiss.

* * *

"It reminds me of that golf hole you missed."

I smacked his arm, and he smiled at me.

"You're cute when you're angry." He said, and I glared at him.

"Cute?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"Beautiful? Adorable? Hot? Which one then?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"Anything other than cute, please?" I asked, and he smiled.

"Okay, anything other than cute." He said, kissing my cheek. I moved in the bed into his arms, snuggling into his embrace.

"What an amazing spring break." Tony mumbled, and I looked up at him. He smiled.

"I'm in California, with a hot car and a even hotter girl." He said, and I smacked his chest.

"Then I guess my vacation sucks." I said, and he pouted.

"I'm hurt." He said, and I pulled on his bottom lip.

"Good. Just a reminder." I said, and he laughed. He pulled me even closer, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"This is a great way to wake up." He said, and I felt my heart drop a little. But I pushed the thought away, burying my face into Tony's neck.

"It really is." I whispered back.

--

I took the Popsicle right out of Tony's hand, and he glared at me. He grabbed another one out of the freezer and we moved into the living room and onto the couch. I curled up in his lap, snuggling my forehead against his neck. He smiled at me, and rubbed my back.

"What do you want to do today?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"Just, sit and hang out." I said, and he smiled.

"I think I can do that." He said before picking me up and walking into the kitchen.

"But, after breakfast." He said, and I smiled.

"Okay. But, no eggs." I said, and he smiled.

"Alright, no eggs." He said.

After breakfast, I got changed into another summer dress and my gladiator sandals. I walked back down the stairs and went out onto the porch. The porch was faced into the forest and the shade was cool in the hot sun. I pulled my book into my lap and stretched out on the law chair. Tony walked out, sitting down in the chair next to mine.

"A book? How McGee-ish of you." He said, and I glared at him.

"It is a good book." I said, and he started to talk again. I ignored him, and he gently reached for the book. I glared up at him.

"If you value your hand, I suggest you back away slowly." I said, and he took his hand away.

"Fine." He said, stretching out on the longer chair. He shut his eyes, and in ten minutes he was snoring away. I smiled at him, grabbing a blanket and putting it over him. I sat back on my chair and kept reading my book. I was about to finish the chapter when I heard Tony stir and turn over on the chair. He opened his eyes a little, and looked at me. He smiled.

"I love you Ziva."

* * *

**I'm watching Blowback. I love the beginning. :) And the whole astrology sign.**

**Oh, and I know. I left it badly, who cares. Haha, have fun squriming while I write the next chapter. And thanks for the reviews on "Forever Tomorrow".**

-Reviews, love Izzy. (:


	30. Chapter 30: Spring Break Part Two

**So, this chapter is.... shorter. Three thousand words shorter. And about 5 pages, but whatever. I felt this was just right. It's like a filler, possibly, because the next three chapters are going to be the last. :( Saddening, I know, but I don't want this to be one of those stories that is just brought out for too long. Besides, Forever Tomorrow is an idea that I like. I have it planned.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. But, I do have to say that I love the California Coast. I need to go to the beach soon. :D**

* * *

"You know what I want to do today?" Tony asked, and I looked up at him.

After he said what he was feeling the other day, he had fallen back to sleep. It gave me time to think, to sit and read my romance novel. I ended up putting the novel down and going inside. I needed to think, to work out the mess that I had to deal with. I didn't like this, no one did. I had come to this country a stranger, out of place. They had all welcomed me with warm arms and open hearts. I had become part of their already strong family. It was something I had begun to love. It wasn't like my own family. Yes, we were a family, but we didn't act anything like the family I had become a part of here in America.

I loved them all, I really did. After a year, it was going to feel weird to go back. To not see them everyday, to not sleep in the same bed as Tony, to not gossip with Abby about random things, to not see Jenny and Gibbs every morning, smiling at me as I walked down the stairs; I was actually going to have to adjust to my home in Israel.

Gibbs was like my father. He trusted me, had confidence in me. He would give me a look every now and then, like he was proud of me. He would laugh at me when I shut Tony up. I had started to kiss his cheek every now and then, as I did Jenny's.

Oh, Jenny. She was amazing. She treated me like I was her own daughter, and never ever let me down. I loved being around her, and talking to her. And she never flinched when I got my idioms wrong. She just smiled, corrected them, and we kept talking. She was the perfect mother.

Abby was going to be the hardest to leave. I knew already that she was going to cry. Her reaction to Tali leaving was enough to confirm my suspicions. I was going to miss her and her constant bugging me to wear more black. I'd miss her hair, and her smile. And her constant need for caffeine.

And then came McGee. He really was that cute, innocent little brother that you loved to torture, but loved all the same. He was always willing to help, and tried his hardest. He was so sweet and nice. I would never meet another person like him.

Kate. I knew I would see and hear more from her. Her relationship with Ari was close, and I knew they would stay in contact. It would be nice to at least hear from one person after I leave.

The last person in the family was Tony. I knew exactly how I felt about leaving him. It was going to rip me apart, to see his face when that day did come. To not sleep next to him at night like we always did now, it was going to hurt. I didn't know what I was going to do when the sleepless nights caught up with me. I would probably end up in a hospital.

But I knew it. As I thought it over in the kitchen, waiting for him to wake up after he told me what he wanted to say, I knew it. I did love him. I really did, and I doubt that being away from him will change that.

They say your first love is always the truest of them all.

"I don't know what you want to today." I said to him, moving in his arms. I laid my head on his arm, snuggling into his side. It wasn't light out yet, but the blinds were shut.

"I want to teach you to drive." He said, and I laughed.

"Tony, I think I know how to drive." I said, and he looked down at me.

"I've never seen you drive." He said, and I shrugged.

"You've never let me drive." I said, tracing the lines of his stomach. I could feel him shudder a little.

"Do I want to see your driving?" He asked, and I laughed. He waited for me to stop, and then I moved my hair off my face.

"I'm not sure if you could handle it. You can't handle Gibbs' driving." I said, and he coughed.

"Never mind then." He said, and I laughed. I sat up, putting my hands on his chest.

"We could just stay here and hang out." I said, and he put his arms behind his head.

"We did that yesterday." He said, and I shrugged. I moved back into his arms, nuzzling my head into his neck. He tightened his arms around me, and sighed.

"How about the beach?" I asked, and I could hear his smirk when he spoke.

"Are you going to wear that one piece again?"

I looked up, smirking at him.

"Oh, I've got something better." I teased.

"You're not going to wear anything?" He asked, and I smacked his chest.

--

I laid on my towel, holding my book close to my body. Tony's hand moved towards the book again, and I smacked him again.

"Stop it." I said, and he glared at me. He sat back on his towel, covering his eyes with his hands. I read some more of my book, moving my sunglasses on my face. I was about to settle back on the towel when two arms went under my body and I was lifted off the towel.

"Tony!" I said, dropping my book and looking up at him. He smirked at me, not letting go of me.

"We are getting into the water, Miss David." He said, and I smirked.

"Then let me take off my summer dress." I said, and Tony put me down. I pulled my dress off over my head, and I heard a couple whistles from down the beach. I smirked up at Tony, putting the dress on my towel.

"Let's get in the water." I said, and Tony just gaped at me. I laughed at him, grabbing his hand and pulling him down the beach.

"That's a hot bikini." He said, wrapping his arm around my waist. His hand sat on my hip, holding me close to him.

"Abby shoved it into my suitcase." I said, looking down at the thin bottoms. The strings were hanging down my side, and Tony was playing with one. He stopped walking, looking me up and down. I could see the twinkle in his eyes.

"I'll have to thank her." He said, and I smacked his arm.

"Are we going to get into the water or not?" I asked, and he smiled.

"Oh yeah." He said, grabbing my arm.

We spent the rest of the time at the beach splashing and swimming in the water. I got a lot of whistles, but I ignored them. Tony seemed to find it funny, but he kept his arm around my waist. After swimming for over two hours, we laid on our towels and dried off. I had my extra towel over my butt, and Tony's hand was resting on the small of my back. He was tracing small circles across my skin, and I smiled at the feeling. I looked over at him and saw he was dozing off, his eyes shut and his mouth relaxed. I reached over and pushed his hair off his face. He smiled at me, opening his eyes a little.

"Yes, Zee-vah?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"Nothing. Just watching you." I said, moving my head up to rest in his hand. He smiled at me, and shut his eyes again. It was getting late in the afternoon, and the sun was now not as hot as it was earlier.

"If you're tired, we can go back." I said, and he raised one of his shoulders.

"I'm not tired. It's the sun." He said, and I laughed.

"Okay." I said, and he smiled. He moved toward me a little, and then rested. I watched him lay there, his hair drying in the summer sun. In this lighting, it looked almost blonde. It wasn't his color.

"I'm hungry." He said suddenly, and I laughed.

"Why am I not surprised?" I asked, and he opened his eyes.

"Why am _I_ not surprised?" He mocked, and I rolled my eyes. He sat up, picking my head up with his hand. I pulled the towel around me, keeping myself warm.

"Want to go down the beach to a little diner I know of?" He asked me, and I shrugged.

"Sure." I said, and he smiled. He handed me my dress, and I slipped it over my head. When I stood up, I pulled it over my butt. I folded my towel up and put it in the bag that Tony was holding. He handed me the bag and we walked down the beach.

"Where is the diner?" I asked, and he pointed up the beach.

"Up there." He said, and I smiled.

"Yes, because 'up there' tells me exactly where we are going." I said, and he shrugged.

"You'll see." He said. I rolled my eyes, bumping my hip into his. he smiled at me, and we kept walking.

"You know, I never got a straight answer." He said, and I smirked.

"You'll get your answer." I said, thinking back to our conversation the day before.

"Will I get it before July?" He asked, sounding serious. I looked at him, and smiled.

"Before the week is over." I said, and he smiled. He squeezed my hand, and I bumped my hip into his again.

"Now I'm hungry." I said, and he laughed. He squeezed my hand gently, and I looked up at him.

"Are you having fun?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Of course I am." I said, "I'm with you."

Tony's smile just got wider.

--

"What is that?"

I smirked at him, and took another bite of my food.

"Fish." I said, and he tilted his head. He took his fork and took a bite, and then made a face.

"Fish." He said, in a disgusted voice. I laughed, and pulled my plate away from him.

"_My_ fish." I said, and he laughed. He took a bite of his clam chowder, and then ate some crackers. The little restaurant he took me too wasn't big, and the food wafted through the room and made it smell and feel homely.

I moved in my seat, crossing my legs the other direction. I was getting cold, and the sun was getting closer to the horizon line. I pulled my dress around my legs, and pulled my arms closer to my side.

"Getting cold?" Tony asked, and I shrugged. I took another bite of my fish, and grabbed one of Tony's crackers. He smiled at me, and handed me his sweatshirt. I looked at him, and then slipped it over my head. I snuggled into the warm fabric, and I saw Tony smiling at me.

"Almost done?" He asked, and I saw he was finished. I shook my head at him, smiling. I took the last bite of my fish, and then nodded.

"Yes." I said, and he smiled. He took my tray over to the trash.

We walked back down the beach, heading to where Tony had parked the car. I laughed, and Tony looked at me.

"What's so funny?" He asked, gently grabbing my hand. I walked a little closer to him.

"We are walking on the beach at sunset." I said, and he laughed too. He wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Yes, we are." He said, pulling me down the beach. I broke free of his grasp, and walked backwards in front of him. He smiled at me, the sun light lit up his face. I watched his eyes go up and down my body, and smirked.

"You look good in my sweatshirt and a dress." He said, and I laughed at him. I stopped walking, and he walked right up in front of me.

"Is that so, DiNozzo?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Yes, it is." He said, and I laughed. I turned away, walking down the beach in front of him. He ran up behind me, grabbing me around my waist and picking me up off my feet. I screamed, and laughed as he dropped me back down. I ran down the beach, him following me closely. I was close to the car when he grabbed my waist and spun me around. We ended up rolling on the sand, and I gave up after a while. I laid back on the sand, Tony hovering above me.

"Got'cha David." He said, and I laughed. I wiggled free of his hands, and flipped him over. I kissed him quickly, and got up.

"Sure you do." I said, pulling him up the hill. When we got to the car I brushed off my legs and back. The sand piled up on the ground, and I grimaced. I opened the door and got in, settling in the seat. Tony had put the top down earlier before we made our way down to the beach, and the car was now warm from behind left in the sun all day.

"Tomorrow is our last day here." Tony said, starting the car. I looked out the window, watching the waves crash on the sand in the last bit of light the sun was providing.

"I like it here." I said quietly, and I looked at him. He was watching me intently, and I saw a sad tint to his eyes.

"I'm glad." He said, pulling out of the parking lot and driving down the coast line back to the house. I settled back in the seat, getting ready for the longish drive.

--

_(Tony's POV)_

Ziva slept the whole ride, and I was fine with it. I loved to watch her sleep. Plus, as the summer came nearer and nearer, I was beginning to feel that impending doom.

The 'impending doom' being her leaving.

When I parked out front of the small house, Ziva woke up. She looked tired, and her skin looked sun kissed in the light of the radio. I reached over and touched her hair gently, and she sighed.

"Carry me inside?" She asked, and I smiled. She was limp when I picked her up, and I could tell she was going to sleep all night long.

After putting laying her in the bed, I walked down the stairs and made myself a cup of hot chocolate. The California coast got cold at night, especially when the fog rolled in.

"Tony?"

I looked up from my cup to see Ziva standing at the bottom of the stairs, my shirt just covering the top of her thighs.

"What sweet checks?" I asked, getting up and walking over to her. She wrapped her arms around my waist, putting her ear over my heart. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, and I heard her sigh.

"Come to bed. I'm tired." She said, and I laughed. I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. Her head went into my neck, and I could feel her breath against my skin. I carried her up the stairs, rubbing her back. When I put her down in the bed, she smiled up at me.

"I love you Tony." She whispered quietly, and I smiled down at her. I kissed her head before changing into my pajamas and lying down next to her. She wrapped her arms around my torso and snuggled her face into my chest.

"I love you too."

* * *

"Today is our last day."

I looked down at her, and saw she was smiling.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her and suddenly I was on my back. I smirked up at her, and she chuckled.

"I just want to stay here." She said, and I shrugged. I reached up and flipped her over.

"When you say here, do you mean…?"

"I mean here. The house, the dock, the couch. Here." She said, and I smiled.

"Here it is then." I said, leaning down and kissing her gently.

"I am hungry." She said, and I grinned.

"Breakfast for the lady." I said with a fake southern accent. She laughed at me as I got up, and then she jumped on my back. I carried her down the stairs, her chin resting on my shoulder. I put her down on the counter and I walked over to the fridge. I grabbed the pancake batter that I had made yesterday, and walked over to the stove. Ziva moved to sit closer to me, and she smiled at me.

"Where is my iTouch?" She asked, and I pointed to the living room. She disappeared, and then I heard music floating through the house. She came back into the kitchen, and sat down on the counter again.

"You and your music." I mumbled, and she smile at me.

"I enjoy music. It's a nice thing." She said, and I smiled. I reached up into the cabinet above my head and grabbed the little remote to the stereo. I handed it to Ziva, and she smiled. She moved so she was could point the remote at the stereo through the opening in the wall. The music got louder, and I smiled.

"You listen to too much of the old stuff." I said to her, and she smiled.

"I like it better than the new." She said, turning up the music some more.

_Spent my days with a woman unkind,  
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine.  
Made up my mind to make a new start,  
Going To California with an aching in my heart.  
Someone told me there's a girl out there  
with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair._

"This song makes references to the sixties." I said, and Ziva raised her eyebrow.

"Sixties?"

"Yeah. Most likely late sixties, possibly. Depends on when the song was written." I said, flipping her pancakes onto her plate. She took the plate from me, a curious look on her face.

"What happened in the sixties?" She questioned, and I laughed.

"A lot." I said with a laugh, and Ziva shook her head. She grabbed the syrup and poured it over her pancakes. I handed her a fork, and she smiled. She cut up her pancake, and I poured some more batter on the pan. She sat back on the counter, resting her plate in her lap.

_To find a queen without a king,  
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings... la la la  
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn  
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born.  
Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams,  
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems._

"You are a really good cook." She said to me, and I smiled. I shut off the stove and put my pancakes on my plate.

"I guess it's a skill of mine." I said, getting up on the counter next to her. We ate in silence, and I watched her. Her hair was a mess from sleep, but her face looked stunningly happy. When she felt me watching her, she looked over at me. I smiled, and looked away.

--

"I want to take a long, hot bath." Ziva said to me, looking up at me. I stopped running my fingers through her hair, instead resting them on the couch behind me. Ziva was stretched out, her head in my lap, her legs over the end of the couch.

"I'll run it for you." I said, and she smiled.

"No, I was just saying. I would like one, but not right now. Want to go to the beach?" She asked, and I shook my head.

"Not again. The dock sounds nice though." I said, and she shrugged.

"Okay." She said, getting up. She was up the stairs before me, and I saw the bathroom door shut as I walked up to the landing. I slipped into the bedroom, pulling on my swim trunks. I looked out the window to see Ziva walking down the walk and to the dock. She had a towel in her arms, and was wearing a purple one piece. I growled under my breath, and bound down the stairs. When I walked outside, Ziva was already in the water. I saw her swimming around the bay, her arms lazily carrying her to where she wanted to go.

I sat down on the dock, splashing my feet in the water. When she finally swam over to the dock, I slipped into the water.

"What took you so long?" She asked, floating in front of me. I smirked.

"I was thinking about what bathing suit of yours I liked the most." I said, and she raised her eyebrows.

"So, which one won?" She asked, and I smirked.

"Oh, definitely the one piece. That is hot." I said, reaching forward and wrapping my arms around her. She smiled at me, and smacked my chest.

"You look good." She said, and I grinned.

"Oh really?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"Well, it isn't the perfect six pack, but it's good enough."

I grinned at her, picking her up onto the dock and splashing her.

"Not nice." I said to her, and she smirked at me. She moved so she was laying on the dock, her head over the edge. She moved so her face was right next to mine, and she put her finger on my nose

"It is true though. And the truth hurts." She joked with me, and I smirked.

"Well, then you have love handles." I said, and she gawked at me. She pushed herself off the dock and chased me through the water.

"I'm going to kill you Tony." She said, and I laughed.

"You are the one that was honest." I said to her, and she stopped trying to catch me. She floated in the water, and I looked at her.

"Take a joke?" She said, and I sighed.

"Can't you?" I asked, and she shrugged. She swam away from me, and I caught up with her. Her face was bright as I kissed her, and she moved her hands to my hair.

"I love you Tony." She said, and I smiled.

"Just remember who said it first."

* * *

**If there were any mistakes, know it's because I am tired, even though it's only 3 PM, and I'm about to fall asleep. Also, there are three episodes on USA that they have never played, so I am going to watch. And since I've never seen recoil..... yeah, shoot me.**

**Reviews?**


	31. Chapter 31: July

**Read Authors Note At Bottom.**

Chapter Thirty One: Leaving.

* * *

"What are you guys doing out here?"

I looked up from my resting position against Tony's chest, only to see Gibbs standing on the other side of the trampoline. I let myself fall back against Tony, putting my head phones back in. I almost missed what Gibbs said.

"You're dad is on the phone Ziva."

I looked at him, almost to make sure he was joking. But I only saw his serious face, and I cursed to myself. I got up slowly, bouncing across the trampoline. I held my dress around my legs as I jumped down, and I heard Tony land behind me. I made my way inside, my brain working overtime as I walked through the living room and into the kitchen. Jenny was sitting there, holding the phone away from her like a diseased rag. She handed it to me, and I sighed before speaking into the receiver.

"Shalom Father." I said, sitting down on the counter.

"Ziva, my child. How are you?" My father asked, the line crackling. I held it away from my ear for a second, then responded.

"I am well." I said shortly, and I heard him speaking in Hebrew to someone.

"Are you ready to come home? Tali misses you." He said, trying to sound casual. I mentally scoffed, and scooted over closer to where Tony sat. his arm went around my waist, and I let my head fall on his shoulder.

"No, I am not." I said. My father sighed.

"I know you really like it there, but your home is here." He said, his voice calm. Too many years of training and practice; he couldn't even show a little emotion for his children.

"I know father. But I will miss it." I tried to keep what we were talking about not so obvious, but I failed in doing so. At my words, Tony's grip on my waist became tighter.

"You will be coming home on the 10th, will you not?" He said, and I looked at the calendar. One week.

"Yes." I said quietly, and I could feel his smile. I looked around the kitchen, noticing I had collected an audience. Abby was looking at me sadly, Kate and McGee were gently rubbing Abby's back, and Jenny and Gibbs were standing in the doorway. Even Jethro the dog was sitting beneath me on the floor, his eyes watching me.

"I have to go papa. Shalom." I said, and he bid me goodbye. When I hung up, I let out a deep breath.

"Well, that was interesting." Tony said from next to me, and I elbowed him. No one laughed at his joke, and I hopped off the counter. I walked past Jenny and Gibbs, handing them the phone, and up to my room. When I walked in, I let the door shut behind me before falling against it.

Everything was packed. The only things out were summery dresses and cut off jeans. My flip flops and sandals lay on the floor next to the bed, which was completely untouched. I hadn't slept in it in over a week. My suitcase sat next to the dresser, open in case I had forgotten anything.

I hadn't.

The walls were now bare, any pictures or posters folded up and in a zip-loc bag in my suitcase. Somehow, I had ended up with more luggage going home. I sighed at the sound of someone knocking, moving out of the way so they could come in. I didn't get up from the ground, and Tony sat down next to me. His hand found mine, and I sighed.

"I keep looking around, trying to figure out what I left." I said, and he nodded. We didn't speak after that, and I sighed again.

"We'll keep in touch." I said, almost trying to reassure myself. Tony reached over and took my face in his hands, kissing my forehead.

"Don't worry." He said, and I nodded. I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face in his shoulder. I felt safe and calm.

But I still was worrying.

--

I was curled up in Tony's arms, the summer breeze blowing my hair across my face. We had seven days. Well, six, but I wasn't thinking technically. I just knew, a week. That was my counting down.

Tony's arms tightened around me, and I looked up to see his eyes shut. I sat up, moving so I was straddling his waist. I waited for him to open his eyes, and when he did, I smiled.

"Positive thoughts." I said, and he nodded. He ran his fingers through my hair, and then pulled me to his chest. I settled there, enjoying the feeling of his arms around me. I snuggled my face into his shirt, and he let his breath out next to my ear.

"The sun is beautiful." He whispered, his hands moving up and down my back. I nodded, the smell of him overwhelming me. I loved it.

"It will always be beautiful Tony." I said, and he laughed.

"No, tonight it's amazing." He said, and I looked at where he was looking.

"You are right. The sun is beautiful." I said, turning in his lap so I was curled up and against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, and I let out a breath through my teeth.

We sat in comfortable silence, Tony's fingers playing with the ends of my hair. I blew spit bubbles absentmindedly and one popped on Tony's arm. He looked at me, and I smirked.

"Gotcha." I said, and he laughed. He played with the hem of my shirt, and I grabbed his hands. They were warm and soft, and I moved them around my waist. He got the idea, and wrapped me back up in his embrace. I snuggled close to him, and it got quite again. I pulled at the front of his shirt, and he pinched my back muscles. I slapped his chest, and he chuckled.

"Feisty." He said, and I laughed.

"I'll show you feisty." I said, gently biting down on his shoulder. He yelped, and I grinned.

"That was feisty." I said, and he smirked at me.

"If you're feeling like that." He said, and I smacked his chest. I moved so I was sitting on his legs, and gently hit his chest.

"Disgusting." I said, moving off Tony and onto the grass. He followed me, ending up on top of me, holding himself up with his hands. I gently rolled him over, sitting on his stomach. He ticked me, and I shrieked as I fell onto the grass. Tony pinned me down, and I had flashbacks to when we wrestled on the front walk. I smiled as I pinned him down, holding his arms right above his head. I smirked at him as I leaned down and whispered into his ear.

"I…gotcha." I said, and he laughed. He bent his hips up, and flipped me over in a flash. I fought with him, eventually holding his arms to his chest. He smiled at me, and then he kissed me.

"No, I've got you." He said, and I laughed. I relaxed against the ground, and Tony smiled. He rolled next onto the ground next to me. We laid there for a minute before Tony propped himself up on his elbow.

"You have grass in your hair." He stated, and I reached up to pull it out. When I was done, he smiled at me gently. He kissed my cheek, and then wrapped his arms around me again. I settled into his embrace.

"Are you ready to leave?" Tony asked suddenly, and I looked up at him.

"No." I said, rolling away from him. He grabbed my waist, and pulled me back to him.

"Sorry. I just, wanted to know." He said quietly, and then he kissed my forehead.

"It's okay." I said just as quietly. We laid there for a minute, and then he sighed. He sat up, and then got onto his feet. He offered me his hand, and I let him pull me up.

"Let's go." He said, pulling me to the house.

--

We spent the week running around the town, going from the diner where we had our first official date, to up on the track around the field. We never got a spare minute and when it was finally time for me to leave to go to the airport, I felt my heart drop. I spent most of the morning sitting in my room, the door locked and all of the windows covered. I knew Tony was outside the door, waiting for me to finally give in and let him inside, but I wasn't going to. I was replaying my whole year in my head, laughing at some things, and frowning at others.

I couldn't help but smile as I remembered all the times anyone corrected my English.

"_I'm going to take a splash in the pool." I said, walking out of the house wrapped in a towel. My hair was pulled back into a braid, and I had on goggles. Tony smiled at me._

"_It's a dip, Zee-vah." He corrected, drawing out my name._

Oh, the beginning of him drawing out my name. Something I had learned to love.

"_Curiosity killed the bat."_

"_Cat."_

"_What?"_

"_It's curiosity killed the cat."_

"_Oh."_

A huge smile crossed my face when I thought about our first official date. As I sat on my bed, I realized that most of my favorite memories were with Tony. Sure, I smiled when I thought of Abby trying to get me into all black clothes, and Kate and I fighting on my bed, or Gibbs and Jenny arguing playfully. I laughed when I thought about how I figured out what Ranch dressing was.

"_What is that?" I asked._

"_Ranch."_

"_That's a ranch? I thought they were big and full of animals?" I asked, and he laughed._

"_Well, yeah. But this is ranch dressing." _

I laid back on my bed, and sighed. My head rested on the huge panda bear Tony had gotten me at Disney Land, and I frowned. I wasn't going to be able to take it back to Israel with me. It was too big.

"Ziva?" Abby asked through the door, and I moved to open it. She had a cup of tea in her hand, and I let her inside. Jethro followed her, and I scratched the dog behind the ears. Abby settled on the ground, and I sat down next to her. Jethro rested his head on my leg, and I looked at him. He looked so relaxed.

"How are you?" Abby asked, her concern evident in her voice. I shrugged.

"Reluctant." I said carefully. Abby nodded. She reached over and scratched the dog, and then she fell back against the wall.

"I'm going to miss you." She said, and I nodded. I blinked back tears.

"I will miss you too Abby." I said quietly. Abby reached over and patted my cheek.

"You'll come back if you can, won't you?" She asked me, and I bit my lip.

"If and when I can." I promised. Abby smiled, moving over to me and snuggling up next to me.

--

I didn't want to look up, and I wasn't going to open my eyes.

"Flight 254 to Tel Aviv, boarding at gate 13."

I didn't move to get up, and I felt Tony's hand squeeze mine. I turned my heads towards him, and let my forehead rest on his shoulder. A hand rubbed my back, and I let out a shaky breath. I have never been this emotional in my life, and never this close to tears in a public place.

"It's okay Ziva." Jenny whispered gently in my ear, and I shook my head.

"No, it's not." I said, more fiercely than I should have. Nevertheless, when I opened my eyes and looked at her, she didn't seem fazed. No, instead, she was smiling.

"It will. I have a feeling." She said softly, stroking my cheek.

"A gut feeling?" I asked, and she nodded. I sighed, moving to stand up slowly. Tony still held my hand, but stayed sitting down. I smiled at him, leaning down and kissing his cheek. We didn't say anything, seeing as we had already said our goodbyes earlier.

I let go of his hand enough to huge Abby, keeping one of our fingers linked. Kate joined in the hug, and then I had to let go of his finger. Both of them were close to tears, and I wrapped an arm around each of them.

"I'll miss you Ziva." Kate said quietly, and I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth.

"I will see you again Kate." I said confidently, and she looked at me. I gave her a knowing look, and she blushed. I smiled at her, and then turned around when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Jenny pulled me into a hug, and I smiled as I hugged her back. When she finally let me go, I looked over at where I needed to be. I looked back at Gibbs, and he shook his head at me. I gave him a hug, and he patted my back.

"Goodbye Ziver." He whispered, and I smiled at him. I grabbed my carry on from Tony's hands, and smiled at him. He bent down and kissed my cheek, whispering in my ear for the last time.

"I love you."

I looked up at him again, and wrapped my arms around his neck. He held me close, and I gently kissed his neck.

"I love you too." I whispered, and he let me go. I patted his cheek one last time, and then move out of the circle. I was at the gate when I looked back.

Jenny was standing next to Gibbs, their hands entwined. Abby was next to Gibbs, tears silently flowing down her face. She wasn't shaking, or moving at all. Kate was right next to Abby, her arm around her waist. Kate's tears came with small little shudders. Tony stood next to Jenny, his hand on her shoulder. He wasn't crying, but his face was stone. I waved him hand just barely, and he smiled at me kindly.

"Ma'am?"

I looked up at the flight attendant in front of me, and she smiled. I handed her my ticket, and noticed small tear marks were on it. When I found my seat on the plane, I pulled my feet up under me, and turned to look out the window. It was getting dark, the sun starting to set, and I could make out people in the airport. Some were crying, others were hugging loved ones. I shut my window covering, and hid my face with my hair.

When we finally got into the air, I pulled my legs back up to my chest and silently cried myself to sleep.

* * *

**Gosh, I cried at the end while editing this. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I'm awful at finishing stories, but I already have the epilouge of this story planned, and it's itching to be written. So, I'm really excited. I orginally said this would be 33 chapters.... I'm downsizing by one chapter. I was thinking about making two more chapters after Spring Break, but there really was nothing to write about. I know I could have done a whole chapter on Tony's Birthday, but..... hm. I like to leave stuff to the imagination.**

**The epilouge is going to be super long, because it's going to explain what happened after Ziva left, and everything leading up to the time period I'm putting them in. And, my Tiva loving friends, do NOT worry. You'll probably hate me at the beginning of the epilouge, but I have my reasons. I got idea for the end before the idea for the whole story, so I'm going with what REALLY hit me. :)**

**Don't freak out if I don't post the epilouge soon. Since it's going to be so long, and I have to figure stuff out before writing it, it should take some time. I'm hoping it will end up being as long as my longest chapter, which was 16 pages. And it's a lot of thoughts.**

**Anywho, review, because I know y'all are reading. And check out Forever Tomorrow, my next project. :D**

**-Izzy.**


	32. Chapter Thirty Two

_**See Bottom.**_

__

* * *

_  
Twelve Years Later  
_

"Maybe it's me, because I don't know, but do you think she is trying to get away from us, moving out to the west coast and all, I mean we love her and she is like our family, but she's leaving us. If we want to see her, we have to get on a plane and fly out there to see her now. And her _baby_!! A cute little baby!"

Abby's rant was cut short when McGee put his finger over her mouth, giving her a look. She hmphed at him, and crossed her arms.

"Abby, just calm down. Remember, she said she would come back after the baby is born." He said, and she nodded. She sat back down on the edge of his desk, and he went back to work. I sat back, and smiled when Abby looked at me.

"Are you excited Tony?" She said, moving over to my desk. She stood next to my chair, and I shrugged.

"Well, yeah." I said, picking up a piece of paper and throwing it at McGee. He batted it off his desk, and then he glared at me.

"You don't seem excited." Abby said, giving me a funny look.

"I have to get used to a new partner." I said, and she raised her eyebrows.

"You'll do a good job." She said, patting my head. I smiled, and turned back to my computer. Abby stood behind me and watched me play a typing game, and she laughed at me occasionally.

"Tony?"

I turned around to look at her.

"What Abby?" I asked and she shrugged. I smiled, and opened my arms. She sat down on my lap, and wrapped her arms around my ribcage. She rested her head under my chin, and I smiled.

"Better Abby?" I asked, and she nodded stiffly.

"Much."

Somehow, we had all ended up at the same place, working together. Not much had changed in twelve years, besides where we were. After college, and changes of scenery, I was the second to end up working with Gibbs. Abby was already there, doing what she did absolutely best. When I walked into her lab, she attacked me in a huge hug and nearly ripped my head off. When Kate walked down, Abby was too happy to speak. She jumped around for a week, saying her family had finally come back together.

All of us stayed late one night, and we talked about what had happened in the ten years we had been off doing our own thing. I wasn't surprised to hear that Kate and Ari had gotten closer, and were still dating. Much to mine and Kate's surprise, Abby and McGee hadn't dated, or they didn't tell us if they did. Gibbs and Jenny were still married, which didn't surprise any of us. Abby said they were the same as always.

It was nice to be back with all of them, even McGoo. Only once was junior year brought up, and that was it. Never talked about again. A healthy undertone of it always seemed to coat conversations of the past, and it was decided that the past was off limits. Even if McGee liked to taunt me with it after my usual teasing went one-step too far. He knew the right thing to say, and it usually ended up with him getting head slapped. Gibbs said he didn't want another DiNozzo, and he better straighten up. I had snickered at him, and he threw a glance at me. Nonetheless, he never taunted me again.

"When do you think Kate's replacement is getting here?" Abby asked, breaking my thoughts. I shrugged, looking down at Abby.

"Whenever they want too." I said, and Abby smiled. She got up, walking over to where McGee sat. I turned back to my computer, trying to put a dent in the paperwork I had to finish.

I let my gaze move to the picture that sat on my desk, the only one that I had up. The only one that I would put up. It was the only picture I could stand to have up, even if it was a painful reminder.

We hadn't spoken in just about seven years. For the first five years we were apart, we exchanged e-mails and letters. I sometimes would stay up until four in the morning just to call her and hear her voice. We stayed friends, but nothing more. We had decided before she left that having a long distance romantic relationship would have been devastating.

That decision was ironic in a way. The sudden drop of e-mails and not answered phone calls to a friend late in the night seemed to hurt more than being rejected.

It was weird now, not talking to her still. I had asked Ari how she was when he came with Kate to tell us all they were moving. His answer was that he hadn't spoken to her in a year, and she was most likely on a undercover assignment.

Another thing that pissed me off; I was pretty sure that because her father had forced her into Mossad her communications with me had stopped. We had both finished high school, and after she went into Mossad training. I got an athletic scholarship to Ohio State, where I spent the next four years goofing off. Nevertheless, every night I went to my computer and answered whatever e-mail she left me. Sometimes my roommates would kick me out when I was on the phone with her at four in the morning. She laughed every time.

I didn't let it get to me when she told me she wouldn't be responding to any of my e-mails for at least two months. But when months turned to years, I asked Ari what she was up too. He didn't even know.

"She has been busy. That is all I know." He had said.

I sighed as I looked back at the picture, moving it so it was face down. Today, I didn't need the reminder.

--

"You know, this is starting to get ridiculous." I said to anyone who would listen, and McGee nodded.

"Yeah, when are you going to get a replacement Gibbs?" He asked, and Gibbs growled.

"Does it concern you McGee?" He asked, and McGee shook his head, but then he nodded.

"Kind of. It is a new member of the team I am on." He said, and Gibbs raised an eyebrow. He looked at the empty desk, and then up at the catwalk. He disappeared, and I looked at McGee.

"Ten bucks says he comes out of there happier than before." I said, and McGee faked a gag.

"Tony, please." He said, and I grinned. I looked back at my computer, trying to get the medical records of our dead Petty Officer.

"Hey Tony." Abby said as she walked up to my desk, holding a piece of paper in her hand. I looked up at her.

"Hey Abby. How are you?" I asked, and she smiled. She handed me the paper, and I stared at it for a minute.

"When did you get this?" I asked.

"It just popped into my inbox. Check yours." She said, and I pulled up my inbox. I looked at the e-mail, and then up at where Gibbs had vanished into the director's office.

"Do you really think it means 'see you soon'?" I asked, and Abby smiled widely. She bounced up into the air, her pigtails flying.

"I hope it does!" She said, and I looked back at the e-mail.

_Shalom all,_

_I know I have not written in a while, but I have been very busy and not able to get to a computer. I am sorry for not leaving you with a good bye or any hint of the fact that I would not respond to phone calls or e-mails. But thank you for leaving them for me._

_I hope you are doing fine._

_See you soon._

_-Ziva_

I re-read the e-mail, and then minimized the window.

"Kkk, we have made contact, kkk." McGee said, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Kkk, Huston we have a problem. Kkkkkkkk." I said, drawing out the static. McGee smiled and went back to work. When Gibbs came back down, he glanced at Abby momentarily before walking over to his desk.

"Kate's replacement agent will be here later. Stay around to greet her." He said, putting on his glasses as he looked at a piece of paper. We were all quiet for a while; Abby's mumbling the only thing to be heard.

"Abs, don't you have work to do?" Gibbs asked her, and she shook her head.

"Nope." She said, moving over to the desk across from me. She waved at me and I smiled, waving back. I looked back at my computer, and didn't look up until Jenny walked into the bullpen. She walked right over to Gibbs' desk, bending down to whisper in his ear. He looked up at her, and then smiled. They spoke some more, all of us watching. I felt a piece of paper hit my head, and I looked at it. Abby had thrown me a note.

_What do you think they are talking about?_

I shrugged, throwing the paper away. Jenny disappeared back up to her office, and Gibbs stood up.

"Abby, go back down to your lab." He said, and Abby pouted.

"I don't want to." She said, and I snickered. Gibbs pointed to the elevator, and Abby glared at him. She got up and walked over to the elevator, skipping as she walked. I smiled at the sight, glad that Abby's inner child had never left her.

"Oh my GOSH!"

_(Ziva's POV)_

I didn't expect Abby to see me, and I really wasn't ready for the huge hug she crushed me with.

"Oh my GOSH!"

It had been twelve years, and she still could surprise me. I would have expected her to change, grow up and grow out of her all black stage. However, I was wrong. Her black shirt and black pin stripe pants proved that. She was also wearing boots, which were most likely platforms, which caused her to be much taller than myself. Her hair was true to Abby fashion as well, up in her trademark pigtails and as black as ever. The half glimpse I got of her face showed me that she was still wearing red lipstick and black eyeliner, something I had refused to wear.

"Ziva!" She yelled, twirling me around as she crushed me to her. I moved my hand to her back, smiling as she put me back on my feet. I smiled at her, patting her cheek as I saw small tears sitting there.

"Hello Abby." I said, and she hugged me again. Through her hair, I could see McGee moving over to where we stood. Gibbs was standing at his desk, a huge smirk on his face. He was internally laughing at me being crushed, that I was positive of. Abby moved my face with her hands, causing me to look at her.

"You are so quiet. Is something wrong? Be happy Ziva. We haven't seen you in twelve years, and finally you are here, and oh boy, the whole family is back together, oh boy! Timmy, look who is here? Aren't you so excited, look who… oh my gosh!" Her ramble made me smile, and McGee moved Abby's hand gently off my face.

"Abby, you might be squishing her." He said, and I laughed. Abby smiled sheepishly, and shrugged. I looked at McGee, and I couldn't help but smile.

He looked just about the same, as if he had never left his awkward teenager stage. His cheeks were still on the chubbier side, and his smile was still sweet and innocent. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, glad to finally see him again. He patted my back, looking at my face.

"You've changed a lot." He said, and I shrugged.

"I cannot say the same for you." I said, and Abby laughed. She reached out and put her hand on my shoulder, squealing. I didn't know what she was doing. She then reached out and hugged me again, this time harder than the last, and I squeaked involuntarily.

"Wait, why were you coming out of the elevator that leads to my lab?" Abby asked, looking me in the face again.

"I visited Palmer and Ducky before coming up here. It was good to see them." I said, and Abby smiled.

"And it isn't the least bit weird to you that we all ended up at the same place?" McGee asked, and I shrugged.

"No. Not really." I answered. Abby squealed again, twirling me around in a circle before putting me down. I turned around to find Gibbs smirking at us. I held out my hand for him to shake, but instead he gave me a hug. I was thrown for a circle for a moment, but then I smiled and hugged him back.

"Good to see you Ziver." He said, and I smiled.

"Likewise." I said, and I was pulled back to Abby. I smiled, feeling like a rag doll. They all started talking around me, minus Gibbs, and I looked over to where they walked over from.

"…And you have no clue Ziva. We've all missed you, even if no one around me has the decency to talk about their feelings. Everyone is all so secretive and it's really annoying. I mean, at least talk about how you feel before you burst and all."

Abby was rambling behind me, her arms still locked around my waist. I didn't mind though. It was nice to be near her again. Her ever-happy self was relaxing and infectious.

"I just _know_ Tony missed you, how could he not? You guys were like tight and tight does _not_ just fall apart. I mean, it can, but let's not think about that option right now, shall we? I mean, it's like if I went away. I'd still be friends with you guys, and tight like usual."

She kept rambling, and I saw Gibbs smirk as he walked back over to this desk. McGee put his hand on my shoulder, giving me a look. I nodded, and gently pulled Abby's hands off my stomach. She stopped talking, and looked at me.

"Where are you going?" She asked, and I smiled at her.

"Don't worry. I will be coming back." I said, moving over to the area where Gibbs sat. He looked up at me when I walked up next to his desk, and frowned. He got up, pushing me forcefully towards the middle of the space, and left. I pursed my lips, and turned.

First thing I noticed was he was looking at me. Not only that, but he was smiling in a soft manner. His green eyes hadn't changed, either had his hair. Although, it was still gelled up in some weird fashion. I smiled back, moving to sit at the empty desk across from him. I put my bag down, taking off my jacket. I put my arms on the desk in front of me, leaning forward so I could see him better. We were quiet in that weird way we usually were.

"Leave it Abby." I heard McGee say, and I looked over to where he and Abby stood. Abby looked like she wanted to come over to where we sat, but McGee was holding her back. He had his arm wrapped around her waist. I turned back to Tony.

"Did they ever hang up?" I asked, and he laughed.

"Hook up, Zee-vah. Hook. And no one is really sure." He said. I smiled even wider, and he laughed.

"You did that one on purpose." He stated, and I nodded. His teeth showed as he smiled, just as white as ever.

"I remembered you like to correct me." I said quietly. He got up; walking over to the desk I sat in. He stood in front of it, putting his hands on the desk and bending down to my level. Our breaths mingled, and our noses were just about touching.

"You haven't changed." He whispered, and I rolled my eyes.

"Is that a compliment?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"Do you want it to be a compliment?" He asked, and I felt like we were at the beginning again. Just getting used to each other. I smiled at him.

"I am not sure." I said, and he laughed. When he stopped, his face got serious.

"I-I missed you." He said quietly. I reached up and touched his face, smoothing my thumb over his cheek.

"It has been twelve years." I said, and he shrugged. I didn't need to explain.

"Has anything _really _changed?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"No, nothing really has." I whispered before he kissed me.

--

I sat on the counter in his apartment, my pinky finger linked with his. My head was on his shoulder, his fingers running up and down my spine. We had been sitting there for over three hours, moving only to get comfortable. We had talked most of the time, telling each other how we had been or what we had been doing for the past twelve years. I left out some of the undercover missions, but I told him everything else. I was quite surprised to hear he had gotten the plague, and had reached over to squeeze his thigh.

I realized that by going to work for my family, I had missed everything. I missed them my 'American Family' during the twelve years I was away, and now that I was back was great. I was going to be working as a Liaison Officer at NCIS, which made Tony's smile just seem to bypass his eyes and reach his temples. And now, when there was nothing else to say, and it was completely dark in the apartment, we just sat there. I heard his stomach growl, and laughed.

"Same old, same old." I said, and he nodded. I moved my hand off his thigh and onto his stomach, tracing circles over the fabric that covered the skin.

"So, what do we do know?" He asked, and I laughed. I moved off the counter, standing in front of him. He was much taller than I was like this.

"I'm not sure, DiNozzo. What _can't_ we do?" I asked, and he tilted his head to the side.

"Well, we can't travel to the moon, we can't go 100 miles per hour, and we sure as hell can't-" I cut him off by putting my finger over his mouth, shushing him as I did so.

"Shut up." I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him off the counter. I pulled him to where I knew his bedroom was, and he smirked.

"Getting feisty?" He asked, and I smacked his stomach.

"No, tired." I said, rolling under the covers fully clothed. He followed, cautiously pulling me to him under the sheets. I snuggled into his chest, my head spinning.

"I'm having flashbacks to spring break." He said, and I laughed.

"We were naked then." I stated, and he laughed.

"Twelve years ago." He said, and I looked up at him.

"The past is the past." I stated, and he nodded.

"I like the present anyway." He mumbled, kissing me again.

_One Year Later_

"DiNozzo, gas the truck, David you're with him. McGee go tell Ducky, dead Petty Officer on the naval base." Gibbs said, getting up from his desk and disappearing out of the room. I grabbed my gear, walking with Tony to wait for the next elevator.

"Think he's on his fifth or sixth cup of coffee?" He asked me, and I shrugged.

"Seventh." I said, and he laughed.

"Why do you think he drinks so much?" He asked as we got on the elevator, and I shrugged.

"You." I said.

"Maybe you." He said, and I looked at him. He smirked, and I smacked his stomach. He caught me off guard and kissed my cheek.

"Maybe it's us." He said, and I laughed. We walked over to the truck, McGee somehow beating us.

"Maybe what's you guys?" He asked, and Tony quirked an eyebrow.

"We were talking about why Gibbs drinks so much coffee." I said, and McGee smiled.

"Oh, well that's easy." McGee said. "He drinks so much to get over the fact that he took out Rule Twelve for you two. And he has to deal with it in the office, because you guys can't keep it at home."

Tony smacked the back of McGee's head, and I rolled my eyes.

"What ever McGee. He does not and you know it." I said, and McGee and Tony stopped fighting. I looked to my right and left, already knowing what was coming. Gibbs smacked the back of my head, and I winced.

"And if I do?" He asked, and I turned to face him. He was smirking.

"It is partially your fault then." I said, and he grinned.

"Get in the truck." He said, walking away. I jumped into the truck, taking the seat in the middle, and waiting for Tony and McGee to get in. McGee got in the driver's side, and Tony the passenger's side. We sat in silence until I turned to Tony.

"How the _hell_ does he do that?" I asked, and Tony laughed. He kissed my forehead, touching his finger to my nose.

"Like Abby's always said, Gibbs is magic." He said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Right." I said, moving so my shoulder rested against Tony's chest. Tony wrapped his arms around me.

"You guys just don't stop." McGee said, and I smacked his arm.

"If you didn't see Abby for about twelve years Probie, you'd want to be close to her too." Tony said, and I chuckled.

"Where would she go for twelve years?" I asked, but they both ignored me.

"If I did, it wouldn't be in front of everyone." McGee retorted.

"No, McProbstier would invite Abby over to his apartment and they could play World of War Craft." Tony said, and I smirked.

"Hey, it's a fun game!" McGee defended, and I put up my hands.

"Enough! Tony, leave McGee alone, and McGee leave Tony along. Sometimes you guys are such children." I said, and Tony laughed.

"Well, we have known-"I put my hand over his mouth.

"I know. No need to remind me." I said.

He smiled down at me, holding me secure in his arms. I felt my stomach tingle, and smiled.

Sure, we were always arguing, and Gibbs gave us continuous head slaps, Abby's music was way too loud and Ducky's stories were too long, but I was perfectly happy with them. It was like being back with your family after not seeing them for years.

"Zee-vah, you need to get your head out of the clouds and come help me with this!" Tony yelled at me, and I walked to where he stood in the back yard. I laughed as I saw him trying to get a knife out of the tree.

"You cannot even climb a tree?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"That's what I've got my ninja chick for."

**TheEnd.**

* * *

**Authors Note: Thank you guys so much for sticking with this story. As you can tell, this chapter jumps twelve years into the future, and they are ALL and NCIS. Kate and Ari are getting married, having a baby, yadda yadda. Gibbs and Jenny are still married( AND SHE DOESN'T DIE!!!!!!), McGee and Abby are a mystery, but... hee hee. And, our little Tony and Ziva. :)**

**I told you this was going to be long. Well, I was halfway through it on my laptop when it got DELETED because the laptop crashed. So, i did my second, less long option. I hope you like it, because I do. I don't see this going anywhere, and I kind of like where it ended. You guys can dream up what happens after this, and nothing happens with Jeanne or Vance in this story. So, no Aliyah, or Season Six. Season Six was pretty depressing, btw. Minus Cloak, that had GREAT body language.**

**You're welcome NKgal13, for getting this up before you leave. And everyone else, for making you wait. I've got a couple other stories going and it's Fourth O' July here in America. :) Happy day, all around.**

**Leave me reviews, since I KNOW you are reading this. I can figure out the traffic thing haha.**

**And Happy Early Birthday to me! Hee Hee, so excited. **

**-Izzy.**


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